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Post by 2t2crash on Mar 5, 2019 22:35:07 GMT -6
LOL. no, I never got THAT drunk. My friend was insinuating that my moobs were big enough I could twirl said tassels if I were to wear them. We had: Grandpa - my buddy who was ten years older than us which is old as hell when you're a young Airman Cuddles - kid was snuggled up to his friend on the flight to Iraq Brokeback - buddy had no clue what Brokeback Mountain was about and bought it while we were in Iraq... He effed up by telling us "I swear I turned it off as soon as I figured it out." Old School - dude was an Army reservist, in his mid 30's and still a Specialist (that one was a name out of respect). One guy we hated so much we just called him derogatory names.
Santa's Little Helper - a new LT that was short as hell and a complete dork.... Obviously not to his face LT Migraine - rhymed with his last name, a complete pain in the ass.... Not called to his face.
We were dicks, those are the not so harsh names
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Post by texican on Mar 6, 2019 23:50:53 GMT -6
2T2,
We were dicks, those are the not so harsh names
Nick names help to build comradeship....
Did manage to get some of the twirling tassels out of my mind's eye....
Texican....
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Post by accountant on Mar 7, 2019 10:55:36 GMT -6
Thank you all for the comments.
I appreciate all the interactions, sincerely.
One of the reasons I write PAW fiction is to sort out in my head what I would do if and/or when I am placed in those circumstances.
This last chapter dealt with the personal decisions an individual would have to make when faced with alternatives. In this case, leaving or staying or staying and sending the kids away is neither right nor wrong, it's just one of many choices that we might have to face when TSHTF.
You can't blame Rick and Clarice or Missy for leaving with their kids, just like you can't blame Boomer for staying, or the Wilsons for sending the kids away for an opportunity to be safe.
All I can say is, keep thinking, and keep preparing, but please make time for the ones you love and the simple things you enjoy in life, like dark chocolate and good Kentucky Bourbon. And if you feel the urge to slap on a pair of tassels and twirl them, then by all means, twirl away to your heart's content. Life's hard, everybody needs a break from time to time.
Thanks again for the comments and likes. Keep them coming.
Sincerely, A.
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Post by accountant on Mar 7, 2019 11:03:33 GMT -6
This is the chapter a lot of people, including Darren, have been waiting for. Enjoy.
Chapter 16
Departure
Darren turned off the small battery operated light on the side table and crawled into bed with his wife. Since she had her back to him, he snuggled up close and hugged her from behind. The discussion and decision had exhausted her so he just lay there and held Laura in his arms.
“Darren?”, said Laura, softly in the dark, “Did I do the right thing?”
Darren rolled her over onto her back, and, pushing a strand of hair away from her face, looked into her eyes. He could see the look of anxiousness and uncertainty in them.
“You did the right thing.”, he whispered.
“I had to think of the children. I had to think about Calvin and Jessica, and Eugene, and Tara, and Billy. They need to be safe. We need the kids to be safe.”, said Laura with wet eyes.
“You did what you had to do. The kids will be safe.”, reassured Darren.
“What if I’m wrong? What if nothing happens?”, asked Laura.
“If nothing happens then they’ll come back. They’ll just have had a nice vacation in the tropics.”, said Darren, calmly.
“If I’m right, they’ll be safe, yeah?”, asked Laura.
“They’ll have Magnum, Rattler, and Clarice with them and those three won’t let anything happen to them.”, replied Darren.
“We’re going to die, aren’t we? You, me, Boomer, the Wilsons. We’re all going to die when the Chinese get here.”, whispered Laura.
Darren looked into those sparking green eyes. Where once he had seen confident and courage, now all he saw was fear and worry.
Darren caressed her face and said, “Hun, I told you before, whatever time I have on this earth I want to spend it with you. It may end up being hard but I’ll always be grateful for each second that I get to share with you. So, will we die? Maybe, but it won’t be tonight.”
Laura looked up at the Darren’s face and saw the quiet strength that he had. The strength she wanted. The strength she needed. Grabbing onto him, she pressed her lips to his as her passion became unbridled.
As they kissed, Laura climbed on top of Darren and quickly took off her T-shirt. Sitting up, Darren pulled off his own T-shirt. Laying Laura down on the bed, Darren kissed, licked, and nibbled his way from her lips to her shoulders, her chest, and her stomach before taking off her shorts and his own. He looked at her naked perfect form in the moonlight for a brief moment before Laura’s arms and legs reached for him and pulled him into her.
Afterwards, as they laid holding each other, Laura whispered, “Thank you.”
Darren smiled, kissed her forehead, and said, “I should be the one thanking you. That was the best workout I’ve had in forever. I’m exhausted.”
Laura lightly punched his on he chest and said, “I wasn’t thanking you for that, although I should. You were terrific. But what I was actually thanking you for was being here with me. I was scared and unsure of myself about the decision I made, but you were right there, strong, calm, and supportive.”
“Mrs. Smith, I will always support you, no matter what, unless it involves you putting yourself in harm’s way, which I know you will sooner or later. You’re smart, strong, classy, sexy, and fun and you stand up for me. How can I not support you? You’re here for me and I’m here for you. That’s the deal.”, said Darren, softly.
“Mr. Smith, you sure know how to make yourself desirable to women.”, whispered Laura.
“Wait ‘til you see me vacuum without being asked.”, said Darren, chuckling.
“Mmmm, I can’t wait. Ready for round five?”, asked Laura with a mischievous grin.
“Why don’t you start without me and I’ll just listen in.”, replied Darren.
“Oh no you don’t. I promised you’d be sore and I always keep my promises.”, said Laura as she pulled Darren on top of her.
When Darren awoke in the morning, he found a not left on his side table.
“Hey handsome. I woke up early and am in the main building getting things ready for the people leaving. Clean yourself up, grab some breakfast, and come down. There’s juice and pastries in the fridge and I’ve already made coffee. Make sure you stretch. Thank you again and I love you, Mr. Smith.”
Darren re-read the note, and smiling, put it carefully in his side table drawer before getting out of bed. He was a little sore, but wouldn’t admit it to anyone. He quickly got ready, had his breakfast, and poured a coffee in a travel mug before heading down to the main building. As he walked, he saw activity in the parking lot of the main building. Magnum’s F-350 being loaded up as well as a 1981 Suburban. The Wilsons were there, as were Clarice and her children, packing up the two machines. The mood was somber and half-hearted “good mornings” were shared before Darren entered the building.
Inside, he found Laura, Boomer, Magnum, and Rattler in a boardroom hunched over a large highway map of the eastern seaboard.
“So if you take this route, you should be at Hilton Head by evening.”, he heard Laura explaining, “There see if you can rent a sailboat with a crew to take you to the Bahamas. From there, you should be able to charter a plane to the Caymans easy enough. If you can’t rent a boat, buy one. There’s $300 thousand in currency and another $300 thousand in Krugerrand in canvas bags hidden in the secret compartments in trucks. I suggest you get hotel rooms for the night and look for transportation in the morning. Remember, stay away from the shipping lanes and get into open water as quickly as possible. We don’t want you getting stopped by the Coast Guard or the Navy out of Charleston.”
“And if we can’t make it to Hilton Head?”, asked Magnum.
“The next best option would be St. Simon Island, here. Go down the 95 and get off at Brunswick. It would normally take about 2 hours, but with the power being out, it may take longer.”, said Laura.
“Not a problem. We’ve got the extra tanks topped of so we should be okay fuel-wise, but we’ll stop along the way and keep topping off.”, said Rattler.
“You guys have your concealed carry permits, right? Luckily both South Carolina and Georgia have reciprocity agreements with Tennessee so you shouldn’t have any trouble. Just make sure you have them handy, if asked. The ARs and extra ammo is secured in the compartments with the money.”, said Laura.
“Yep, we’ve got everything.”, said Rattler.
“Well then, I guess this is it.”, said Magnum, softly.
Laura folded up the map and handed it to Rattler before the group left the main building and headed to the parking lot.
Rattler and Magnum fired up the two old trucks and there were hugs and tears all around as final good-byes were said.
As the two vehicles headed to the main gate, Darren could see Tara bawling her eyes out in the back seat of Magnum’s F-350. Martha walked with the truck as far as the gate, keeping her hand on the window before letting go as the vehicle carrying her precious children crossed Safehaven’s threshold.
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Post by texican on Mar 7, 2019 21:28:03 GMT -6
Thanks A for the chapter....
“We’re going to die, aren’t we? You, me, Boomer, the Wilsons. We’re all going to die when the Chinese get here.”, whispered Laura. Darren looked into those sparking green eyes. Where once he had seen confident and courage, now all he saw was fear and worry.
Darren caressed her face and said, “Hun, I told you before, whatever time I have on this earth I want to spend it with you. It may end up being hard but I’ll always be grateful for each second that I get to share with you. So, will we die? Maybe, but it won’t be tonight.”Always have a plan and back up plans.... Have fall back positions and locations.... Know where there are bridges that can be destroyed or blocked with wrecks and debris and burn to stop the enemy.... Even backhoes can be used.... Know and use all of the choke points.... IEDs have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan and proven to be effective.... And if you can, live rural... As our President Trump has stated: Never ever give up.... Texican.... Born Free, Live Free and Die Free.... Never Ever Give Up....
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Post by accountant on Mar 11, 2019 10:45:19 GMT -6
Chapter 17
Preparations and Storage
Darren, Laura, Boomer, and the Wilsons stood at the gate and watched the two vehicles go down the road and make the turn. They listened for the sounds of the trucks until even the sounds disappeared.
After that, Henry sombrely and slowly, closed and locked Safehaven’s main gate.
Without a word, he took Martha’s hand and they made their way back to the barn.
“With the kids and Rattler’s family gone, we should probably help out around the farm.”, said Boomer, after the Wilsons were out of earshot.
“Let’s give it some time.”, said Darren, “They just said goodbye to their kids forever. They’ll need to grieve that loss.”
“This place still has to run. The cows still need to be milked and the crops still need to be maintained.”, said Boomer, “But, you’re right, Flower. They need their time alone.”
“We have work to do before that.”, said Laura, heading back into the main building.
Darren and Boomer followed her into the building and into the communications center.
“An EMP is coming and we need to be ready for it. Anything that might have a circuit board and isn’t needed immediately should be collected. We need to secure all items in an EMP-resistant container. I’m thinking our two-way radios, the CBs out of the trucks, the Commradio CTX-10 HAM, one laptop with a satellite modem. The EMP may hit us, but it won’t knock out the satellites so we might still be able to have internet. We’ll also need to take down the solar inverters.”, explained Laura.
“Solar inverters? We have solar panels?”, asked Darren.
“Yes. In keeping with the eco-friendly theme of Safehaven, we wanted to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible. Unfortunately, we’ve only got panels up on the roof of the barn and this building so far, but have some for the rest in storage.”, said Laura.
“We should also secure our FLIR binoculars and scopes as well.”, mentioned Boomer.
“Okay, let’s start gathering the stuff together and bring it all here so that they can be stored properly.”, said Laura.
For the next hour, the items were gather from around Safehaven and brought back to the main building. Boomer brought out a rolling trolley from the kitchen and the items were loaded onto it.
“Okay, let’s go put these in storage then.”, said Laura.
Boomer pushed the trolley to one of the unmarked doors at the back of the main room. He pushed the trolley through the door followed closely by Laura and Darren. Laura pulled a flashlight off the wall and turned it on. Once they could see they continued down a descending ramp to a level below the main room. At the end of the ramp was a set of double blast doors.
Laura opened the doors and Boomer pushed the trolley through the doorway and into another hallway, which led off for 25 feet. Boomer pushed the trolley down the hallway to another set of blast doors on the left. This door had a deadbolt door lock on it. Laura unlocked the door with a key from her keychain and pulled back the door to open it. As Darren entered the large room, he could see by the light of the flashlight at least ten rows of storage shelves filled with boxes of food, water, medical supplies, toilet paper, soap, detergent, and other items in boxes.
He followed Laura and Boomer with the trolley, past the storage shelves, to a large open area with several large wooden boxes, and other large filing cabinets against a wall. There was also another locked door at the end, behind all the storage shelves.
“Wow, you guys really know how to prepare.”, said Darren, wide-eyed, “All this stuff must have cost a fortune.”
“We bought it in bulk and whenever things were on sale. We also rotate the food out according to the expiration date.”, explained Laura.
Boomer opened up one of the filing cabinets, which was lined with cardboard on all inside surfaces, and began to load up all the items from the trolley into it.
Once that was done, Laura pulled out a roll of aluminum tape and began to seal up the filing cabinet, while Darren held the flashlight.
Finishing off her task, Laura said, “Well, that takes care of that.”
His curiosity getting the better of him, Darren asked, “What’s behind that door?”
“That”, said, Boomer, “Is our onsite armory. Care to have a look-see?”
“Yeah!”, said Darren.
Laura smiled and unlocked the door to the armory and held it open while Darren peered inside. It looked a lot like Clarice’s closet secret compartment, only much bigger and holding many more AR15s and ammunition.
“Why do you only have AR15s?”, asked Darren.
“Simple, it can safely fire .223 Remington or 5.56x45 NATO rounds and there’s plenty of cheap ammo around for them. It’s just a matter of economics, lots of supply.”, explained Boomer.
“Which reminds me.”, said Laura as she grabbed two of the assault rifles and handed one to each of Boomer and Darren, “Strap this on your back. With the EMP coming and the others not being here, I’m thinking we should be prepared. We’re not at risk assessment Bravo yet, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe.”
“I suggest after this that we go back to our places and strap on the utility belts and field jackets. Like you said, better to be safe.”, added Boomer.
Grabbing an AR15 for herself, Laura shut and locked the armory door. Then the trio made their way back to the main level of the building, making sure to lock up the store room after they left.
“Now that that’s done, let’s see what their saying on the radio.”, said Laura.
“I already checked this morning before you came down.”, said Boomer, “Apparently, the fix is taking longer than expected. Now the feds are saying it will be another 24 hours or so before power is restored.”
Laura thought for a moment and said, “That’s what I figured. I’m thinking we should make a supply run into town for fresh fruits, fresh meat, and fresh bread. We’ve got enough of the canned stuff and flour, but I’m guessing cash won’t be worth much soon so we might as well spend it while we can.”
“That’s a good idea. Stock up while the stock is available.”, added Boomer.
“You need anything?’, asked Laura.
“You can never have too much deodorant, toothpaste, floss, socks, and underwear, Spider. I’m an extra-large.”, replied Boomer.
“I know your size, big boy. You don’t have to brag.”, said Laura, chuckling, “Okay, we’ll head out for some shopping. Lock up after we’re gone and put the dogs on patrol.”
“Yes ma’am.”, came the reply.
Laura and Darren walked back to their house while Boomer went to the communication center to see if there was any further news.
As they walked, Darren asked, “Should we take these with us?”
Laura thought for a moment and said, “Things being the way they are, I think we better. I think we should hit the Walmart superstore in Maryville. They’ve got a bigger selection than the IGA here, plus it’ll give us a chance to see what’s happening in a bigger town.”
“I think we should ask the Wilsons if they need anything. They probably haven’t thought about what will happen now that the power will be down everywhere, but maybe they need some things.”, said Darren.
The pair made their way up to the barn, where Henry was busy picking out the clods of dirt from one of the horse’s shoes.
“Hi Henry.”, called out Laura.
“Hi Cassie.”, replied Henry, letting go of the horse’s foot.
“We’re heading down to Maryville for supplies and were wondering if you needed anything.”, said Laura.
“No, I’m fine, but you can ask Martha if she needs anything. She’s up at the house.”, said Henry, turning back to the horse.
Darren and Laura went to the closest house and Darren knocked on the door. After a while, it was opened by Martha, her eyes puffy and red from crying.
“Hello, you two. Please come in.”, said Martha, with a shaky voice, “I’m sorry. I was just re-organizing a bit. Getting the kids ready to leave, things were just thrown everywhere. I need to put everything back in its place. Lord knows Henry won’t do it.”
“Martha, let’s sit for a bit.”, said Laura, guiding Martha to the living room, “Chad, can you get us some water?”
Darren took his time getting the water, allowing Laura the opportunity to get Martha settled on the sofa.
“Martha, I know it’s not easy having to send your children away. If you need to talk about it, we are always here for you.”, said Laura.
“We had to do what was right. You’re right, it’s not easy, but at least they’ll have an opportunity to be safe and I’m grateful to you for that. Most people aren’t getting that chance.”, said Martha.
“Yes, it’s going to be hard for a lot of people when the EMP hits.”, said Laura.
“Henry and I, we did our best for those kids. They’re both good kids. Sure, Eugene had a bit of a wild streak to him when he was younger, but he’s settled down now. He said he was thinking about becoming a mechanic’s apprentice soon. He’s a good boy. And my Tara, she’s always been my little bit of sunshine. She was always ready to help out wherever she could and she loved these animals. Even when we were losing the farm, she was the one who kept saying “God will find a way.”. I just miss them terribly.”, said Martha.
“You raised fine kids, Martha. You and Henry taught them good wholesome family values. I know they’ll do you proud, no matter where they are.”, said Laura.
The conversation paused as Laura and Darren gave Martha time to reminisce about her children.
“I’m sorry. Where are my manners?”, said Martha, “You came here for something. What can I help you with?”
“We came by because we’re headed out to Maryville for supplies and wanted to see if there was anything you needed. But, we really just wanted to see if you were okay.”, said Darren.
“Thank you. I appreciate your support. I’ll be fine, soon, I promise. I think we’re okay for supplies. Thank you for asking.”, said Martha.
“Well then we’ll get out of your hair.”, said Laura, standing.
When they were at the door, Darren said, “If you need anything, anything at all, just let us know, okay?”
“Thank you, Chad.”, said Martha with a half-hearted smile.
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Post by catspaw65 on Mar 11, 2019 11:57:55 GMT -6
Spider called her husband "Darren" in front of Martha.
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Post by accountant on Mar 11, 2019 12:07:27 GMT -6
Spider called her husband "Darren" in front of Martha. Hi Cats, Thanks for finding this for me. Even Laura/Cassie/Cindy/Spider gets confused sometimes. A.
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Post by texican on Mar 12, 2019 19:50:08 GMT -6
We also rotate the food out according to the expiration date.”
A,
Most food generally has a Best By Date which means that the food can loose some taste and nutrition after this date.... Most food including canned and jarred food and dry food, like pasta and grains, can be used years beyond the Best By Date.... We have cake mixes that are 5 years old that the wife bakes and are still good....
The other is Sell By Date which tells the grocer to mark the price down on the food so it can be sold. This is generally package meat and salads....
So off shopping the group goes.... Would be hell to get caught out of town when the EMP goes off....
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Mar 12, 2019 22:14:48 GMT -6
But you do need to watch the cans in the pantry (builder-provided small closet in the kitchen for us). No lights in that space so some flashlight-assisted searching is common. Saw a stain on the back wall and checked for its source. Found it - - a can of tomatoes (acidic little devils) got pushed to the back corner of a shelf and the acid had eaten a hole through the can. Spent a couple hours cleaning everything on that shelf anf the shelf below it.
We're aware of how long most things are "still edible" so we don't toss much - other than the occasional "new and different" recipe we try only to find that someone has dead taste buds from too much tobacco or alcohol or recreational drugs.
A good version of "new and different" is when our younger daughter wants to be "kitchen chemist". Most (not all) of her creations are at least edible the first time and she's usually dead on the second time. We've even tossed out challenges - the refrain of 'Scarborough Fair' has the phrase "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" in it and we said she should make Scarborough Fair Chicken. Starting with no recipe, the first attempt was "Fair" but the second time (after some tweaks of the spices) was excellent.
I think she'd be a good one to have as head cook in the SHTF environment.
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Post by freebirde on Mar 13, 2019 17:46:38 GMT -6
Best by dates can be extended in grain products, some dairy products, some oils, and nut products by freezing. Close-out bread, on sale peanut butter, big bags of brown or white rice all go into our freezer. I would like to get a second chest freezer to keep things that won't quickly spoil if thawed. Something I learned from Alton Brown, the faster something freezes, the less time for ice crystals to grow.
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Post by texican on Mar 13, 2019 18:44:12 GMT -6
But you do need to watch the cans in the pantry (builder-provided small closet in the kitchen for us). No lights in that space so some flashlight-assisted searching is common. Saw a stain on the back wall and checked for its source. Found it - - a can of tomatoes (acidic little devils) got pushed to the back corner of a shelf and the acid had eaten a hole through the can. Spent a couple hours cleaning everything on that shelf anf the shelf below it. We're aware of how long most things are "still edible" so we don't toss much - other than the occasional "new and different" recipe we try only to find that someone has dead taste buds from too much tobacco or alcohol or recreational drugs. We do not have this problem since we have a walk in pantry room.... We still mark every can, jar, box, package with a label with the Best By Date written in large black numbers.... Helps to keep food rotated and meals set up to use the oldest first.... We will also give away food that is not being used very well.... Marking your food containers where the date can be readily read helps to control loss.... Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Mar 13, 2019 20:21:34 GMT -6
But you do need to watch the cans in the pantry (builder-provided small closet in the kitchen for us). No lights in that space so some flashlight-assisted searching is common. Saw a stain on the back wall and checked for its source. Found it - - a can of tomatoes (acidic little devils) got pushed to the back corner of a shelf and the acid had eaten a hole through the can. Spent a couple hours cleaning everything on that shelf anf the shelf below it. We're aware of how long most things are "still edible" so we don't toss much - other than the occasional "new and different" recipe we try only to find that someone has dead taste buds from too much tobacco or alcohol or recreational drugs. We do not have this problem since we have a walk in pantry room.... We still mark every can, jar, box, package with a label with the Best By Date written in large black numbers.... Helps to keep food rotated and meals set up to use the oldest first.... We will also give away food that is not being used very well.... Marking your food containers where the date can be readily read helps to control loss.... Texican.... We mark everything either with either a P-Touch (black on white label) or a black Sharppie - usually depending on the date: soup with a date that's 2 years out needs a more durable label than crackers that won't be around long.
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Post by accountant on Mar 14, 2019 14:12:49 GMT -6
Chapter 18
Shopping
Later that afternoon, Laura drove the large truck through the heart of Maryville to arrive at the Walmart superstore in Hamilton Corners, just off of Louisville Road. With the traffic lights not working, it had been a slow drive to get there. As she pulled into the parking lot, Darren could see that there was a line up to get in with a police cruiser at the door.
Finding a parking spot, Laura and Darren exited the cab of the truck, picked up a buggy, and went to stand in line with others waiting to get into the building.
When they got to the front, the officer said, “”Cash only, folks and try to leave some for the others.”, before letting them enter.
Upon entering, Darren saw that chaos was ensuing. People had their carts full and were fighting with others to get the last of the fruits and vegetables.
“It’s worst than Black Friday.”, said Darren.
“Yeah. Stay close. Let’s see if there’s anything left.”, said Laura as she pushed her way through the crowd.
As they walked through the aisles, they noticed that almost all the fresh foods, including breads, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables had been picked clean. All the canned foods had been picked clean and in the baking aisle, a torn bag of flour was all that was left. The frozen food aisle wasn’t much better with soggy boxes and bags dripping out whatever they held. A foul stench was coming from the dairy department as the milk and other items had soured when the power had gone out.
“Come on. There’s nothing left here.”, said Laura as she made her way to the pharmacy area.
Even there, the shelved had already been cleaned out.
“Okay, I’ve seen enough. Let’s get out of here. We’ll see if there’s anything left at the IGA in Townsend.”, said Laura.
As they walked out, empty-handed and back to their truck, Darren said, “It looks like this was a wasted trip.”
“Not necessarily. I wanted to see what the situation was like in Maryville. Now we know.”, replied Laura as she unlocked the truck.
“There’s going to be a lot of hungry people in Maryville soon.”, said Darren, as he closed his door.
“Yeah. It’s not going to be good. Once food runs out, they’ll be headed in our direction looking to hunt the Smokies. We’ll need to be ready.”, explained Laura, starting up the truck.
“You think it’ll come to that?”, asked Darren.
Laura looked at him with seriousness in her eyes and said, “Yes.”
She pulled out of the parking lot and they were soon on their way back to Safehaven. As they drove, Darren noticed more than one gas station with hand painted signs that said “No Gas”.
“It’s going to get rough, isn’t it?”, asked Darren.
“It will and I think sooner than later. Most people in the cities and big towns are used to just heading down to the Walmart or local grocery store, pulling out their credit, debit, or EBT card to pay for their food. Hardly anyone keeps a cash reserve any more. With the power being out, the machines won’t work so stores won’t be able to make sales. That goes the same for gas stations. When people run out of food, water, gas, and propane, they’ll beg, borrow, or steal from others. My guess is, it’ll mostly be the latter. With so many starving people, the government will have to put into place FEMA protocols. That’ll mean FEMA camps across the country and armed soldiers going door to door looking for food hordes. When that happens, you’ll see a lot of people dying in shootouts with FEMA soldiers. Yeah, it’s going to get rough.”, said Laura.
“We should be okay though, right?”, said Darren, worriedly.
“We should be okay. We’re out of the way at the end of an old road out in the boonies, so it’ll take them a while to get to us.”, said Laura.
They drove in silence until they got to Townsend. There Laura pulled into the IGA parking lot. There were only a few cars there and no line up. A sign was on the front window that said “Cash Only.”
“It looks like we might be in luck.”, said Darren as Laura turned off the engine.
“Most people around here are usually stocked up, so hopefully we’ll be able to pick up some things.”, replied Laura.
They grabbed a cart and walked into the store.
“Hi folks.”, said a man at the front of the store, “It’s cash only today. None of our credit card machines are working. The open fruits and vegetables are all $3 per pound. We can weigh them at the cash. We’re running on generator power, but I’m not sure how long that will last so if you want anything from the coolers or freezers, now’s the time to get it. We’re rounding everything up the nearest dollar to make it easier for everyone. Also, all sales are final, I’m afraid.”
“Thanks for the information. That’s fine, we understand.”, said Laura, “We were just up at the Walmart in Maryville and things weren’t looking good out there. Have you had any trouble here?”
“Not yet, thank goodness. We did have a few out-of-towners complain when we told them we couldn’t take their credit cards, but that was about it.”, replied the man.
Laura and Darren picked up some groceries and went to the checkout counter to pay. The lady at the cash checked them out and they paid in cash.
“So I guess we’ll head back to the farm now”, said Darren, after he had put the groceries into the truck.
“Not just yet.”, said Laura, “I’d like to make one more stop, if you don’t mind.”
Laura started up the truck and Darren hoped into the passenger seat.
“Where are we going?”, he asked.
“You’ll see.”, said Laura, with a smile.
Driving down Lamar Alexander Parkway a short while, Laura pulled into Elk Lodge Antiques.
“You felt like dragging me antiquing this early in our relationship?”, asked Darren with a chuckle.
“Come on, it might be fun.”, said Laura with a giggle.
The pair exited the truck and walked over to the front door of the older establishment.
“The place looks like an antique itself.”, muttered Darren, holding the door open for Laura.
“Hush, you.”, came the reply along with a poke in the ribs.
“Afternoon folks. Welcome to Elk Lodge Antiques. Is there anything in particular y’all are lookin’ fer?”, asked an older woman from behind a counter. “We’ve got a little bit o' everythang.”
“Actually, yes. We’re looking for older oil lamps and a washboard if you have them.”, said Laura, smiling.
“You’ve come to the right place, then. Let me show you around. My name’s Greta Daniels.”, said Greta, coming around from behind the counter, holding out her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Daniels. I’m Cassie Smith and this is my husband Chad.”, said Laura, shaking the older woman’s hand.
“Oh please, call me Greta. I’ve haven’t been a Ms since before you were born. What you’re looking for is over in this aisle.”, said Greta, slowly walking deeper into the store.
Darren and Laura walked with Greta past a row of older chairs, china, and silverware before she stopped in front of a table with an odd mix of items, pens, pencils, inkpots, letter openers, and various other stationary items.
“I’ve got four genuine Dietz lanterns here. You can’t beat ‘em. Good quality, too. Two in black and two in bronze. They’ll put out a nice warm glow and make your house more rustic. I’ll let you have them for $80 a piece and I’ve also got a gallon of Sterno which I’ll let you have for $35. It’s cash only since the power's out.”, said Greta.
“If you throw in a bunch of extra wicks, you’ve got yourself a deal.”, said Laura smiling as she admired the lantern.
“Sold to the pretty lady.”, said Greta, “now the washboards are over this way.”
She lumbered over to the kitchen and laundry section of the store and stopped.
“These are galvanized steel, guaranteed not to rust or bend. Much better than the fake aluminum ones from China.”, she said as she handed the washboard to Chad.
“A little heavy isn’t it?”, asked Darren.
“It’s got to be a little heavy, son, otherwise, what good is it?”, said Greta, “It’s $75 and if you want the bucket to go along with it, that’s another $40.”
“What's this?”, asked Darren, picking up something with a crank, mounted on a board.
“That is a hand powered meat grinder.”, explained Greta, “If you want it, I can let you have it for $50.”
“Hmm, seems kind of expensive.”, said Darren.
“We’ll take it.”, said Laura, “And is that an old butter churn?”
“Why yes it is and it’s fully functional, too.”, said Greta, “You won’t find many of them these days, but I can let it go for $300. It’ll dress up your home real nice.”
“Sold to the pretty lady.”, said Darren with a smile.
“Is there anything else I can get you folks?”, asked Greta.
“I think we’re good for now.”, said Laura.
“Well then let’s ring you up.”, said Greta, moving a little quicker towards the cash.
After putting the purchases in the truck, Darren said, “You know she gouged us, right?”
Laura started up the truck, smiled, and said, “I know, but it’s only money.”
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Post by solo on Mar 15, 2019 8:40:30 GMT -6
They need to go back in and grab a wood stove or four for heating and cooking and all the cast iron pans and dutch ovens they can find. That is what will last when the time comes.
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Post by papaof2 on Mar 15, 2019 10:46:41 GMT -6
I have a covered cast iron dutch oven - complete with hanging bail - from the cleanup we did when my wife's grandmother could no longer live alone on their little farm in north Alabama. My wife's comment was "Why do you want that rusty old thing?" Unlike modern cookware, it's mostly surface rust that can be removed with vinegar, electrolysis or old-fashioned force ;-) They heated with LP but the wood stove was in one of the outbuildings, so there was some built-in fallback. They cooked with electricity but that could have been changed - out that far I'd have wanted LP instead: their power was not that reliable.
Had I been in a work-from-home job then, we might have bought the property and moved there but I had a very good mostly-in-the-office job that I enjoyed, we had kids in school and the old house, while very good structurally (Grandpa had built it himself), needed insulation and numerous updates for us to have lived there with kids. At this point in time though, that location would have us a long way from medical treatment which would be a downside for a 70-something. The idea is still tempting, with lots of garden space on their side of the road and the barn and the acres field area across the county road. And lots of space behind the house for ground-mounted solar panels ;-)
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Post by texican on Mar 15, 2019 23:30:25 GMT -6
A,
Cassie and Chad will be making additional trips to see Greta....
Now, Cassie is smart enough to ask Greta to come live with them for Greta's rural living knowledge....
Those that can make it out of the cities will be flooding the rural areas and skirmishes and wars will be fought and won and lost....
Thanks A for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by arkansascob on Mar 18, 2019 10:28:06 GMT -6
Wife has a very nice collection of old oil lamps that are always ready for the power to go out. Cant imagine living every day with only that light but it sure beats being in the dark. When I was young, single, stupid and spending all my money on booze and drugs I did wash my clothes many time on a wash board in the bath tub. You can actually get then pretty clean if they aren't to dirty to start with. Not to much fun but it was cheap. So glad I'm now older, married , smarter , and dont do drugs so the wifey has a nice washer and dryer to do the laundry in. Wonder if she would do my laundry if all she had was a wash board ? Hope I never have to find out. Thanks A for another chapter. Enjoying it all so far. COB
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Post by accountant on Mar 19, 2019 15:02:15 GMT -6
Chapter 19
Plans for More Shopping
When Henry heard what Greta had charged Laura and Darren for the items they had bought, he just about threw a fit.
“We call her Greedy Greta for a good reason.”, said Henry, fuming.
“It’s fine, Henry.”, said Laura, “These are all things we’ll need once the EMP hits. We’ll have to do something with the milk from the cows, and be able to grind the beef by hand. It was worth it. Come to think of it, we’ll also need to get some wood stoves for heating and cooking. I should’ve asked her if she knew where we could get some, and maybe some cast iron pots and pans and dutch ovens too. And for farming, a plow and rigging that we can attach to the horses for the fields.”
“Martha and I had a couple of wood stoves at our place that we’d put in the back of our barn when we switched over to electric. Good thing the bank wasn’t able to sell the farm yet. They’re probably still there. I can go check. My Pa had an old plow. It’s still in our back forty. The rigging is still hanging up in the barn. We can bring them up here using Steve’s flatbed truck. I’ll check to see if there’s anything else we can use at the old homestead.”, said Henry, thoughtfully.
“That would be great, Henry.”, said Laura, “You can use your wood stoves for your place and the barn. We’ll need to find some more for the other homes.”
“You can try England’s wood stove store out in Maryville. They should have a pretty good selection, but they won’t be cheap and that’s if they’re open. And if you do make a deal with them, see if you can get them to throw in the chimneys with ‘em.”, said Henry, “I know the Tractor Supply Company has some, but I’m not sure if they’ll be open.”
“I tell you what. Why don’t you and Martha take Chad’s truck out tomorrow and head into town. See if you can find us those stoves, along with anything else you think we might need and on your way back you can check on your farm. It’ll do you both good to get away from here for a while.”, said Laura.
“If it’s alright with you, it’s alright with me.”, said Henry, “How many do you think we’ll need.”
“As many as you can get.”, said Laura.
“Okay. I’ll see if we can pick up some more salt licks for the cattle while we’re out. You can never have too much.”, said Henry, “Speaking of which, it’s time to round up the animals for the night.”
“Do you need any help?”, asked Darren.
“No, I’m fine. They’re not too far out and the sound of the feed bucket’ll draw ‘em in. Have a good night. Martha and I’ll see you in the morning.”, said Henry as he walked away.
“Poor guy.”, said Laura as she and Darren walked back to Safehaven’s main path. “I can tell he’s still hurting from having to send the kids away.”
“I would be too. I mean never being able to see your children again would be hard on anyone.”, said Darren.
Before heading back to their home, the couple went to the main building to see if Boomer had heard anything further on the radio. In the communication center, they found a note that he had left stating that he was going to stay at the LP/OP overnight but that he had a FRS radio with him and he would let them know if he saw anything.
Laura picked up the FRS on the counter, keyed it and said, “Central 1 to Mountainview, over.”
They soon heard the squelch back and Boomer called back on the radio, “Mountainview here, go ahead Central 1. Over.”
“Sitrep. Over.”
“All clear. Doors locked, puppies roaming. Over.”
“Copy that, Mountainview. Keep your ears on and breakfast is on us. Just not too early. Flower needs his rest. Over.”
“Roger, Central 1. See ya in the daylight. Mountainview out.”
“What’s an LP/OP?”, asked Darren.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have told you before. It stands for listening post observation post. We have a location up in the mountains that we can use to keep an eye on the road leading up to Safehaven.”, explained Laura.
“That makes sense.”, said Darren.
“I guess that’s it for the day. Let’s head on back home. What do you feel like doing tonight?”, asked Laura as they got up to leave the communications center.
“Well, here’s what I’m thinking. We should really use up the food in the freezer so, I can cook up some of those frozen veggies and cut up some of that steak into strips and do a nice stir fry on the grill. That on a bed of rice. And if we have it, we can open up a nice bottle of red.”, said Darren.
“That sounds lovely.”, said Laura, as Darren held the door of the main building open for her.
“That’s just dinner.”, said Darren, with a devious smile, “Since Boomer is in the LP/OP and the Wilsons are in their home, we kinda have the whole place to ourselves.”
“Go on.”, said Laura, smiling.
“I figure, after dinner we can bring the wine, and a speaker we can attach a phone to, start a fire in the fire pit, listen to some music, and if the mood hits us, maybe do a little skinny dipping in the pond behind the main building.”, said Darren.
“Skinny dipping??? What kind of woman do you take me for, Mr. Smith?”, said Laura, feinting shock.
“My kind of woman, Mrs. Smith.”, said Darren, with a chuckle.
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Post by texican on Mar 19, 2019 20:19:17 GMT -6
“I figure, after dinner we can bring the wine, and a speaker we can attach a phone to, start a fire in the fire pit, listen to some music, and if the mood hits us, maybe do a little skinny dipping in the pond behind the main building.”, said Darren.
“Skinny dipping??? What kind of woman do you take me for, Mr. Smith?”, said Laura, feinting shock.
Well the world is falling apart and Chad/Darren is making up for lost time....
It is a guy thing....
Thanks A for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by accountant on Mar 21, 2019 11:21:12 GMT -6
Well the world is falling apart and Chad/Darren is making up for lost time.... It is a guy thing.... Texican, Darren's not making up for lost time. You'll find out the reason for the skinny dipping suggestion in the next chapter. A.
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Post by accountant on Mar 21, 2019 11:24:52 GMT -6
Chapter 20
A Discussion in the Dark
Later that night as the couple was lying in bed, Laura said, “Our world is in the middle of turning upside down, but you wanted to have a nice meal and go skinny dipping. Why?”
Darren smiled down at his bride and said, “Yeah, things are about to go haywire and that’s exactly why I felt it was important to have that meal and a little fun. Once things get really screwed up, we won’t have too many chances to enjoy ourselves. Life’s made up of small moment, my dear, and these enjoyable nights are the moments we’ll remember, even in the darkest of times. These’ll be the memories we’ll hang on to when the going gets tough. I told you before, I’m done cowering in fear. We need to live life to the fullest as long as we can and if that means skinny dipping in the middle of the night with the full moon above us and the sound of George Michael crooning ‘Careless Whispers” in the background, then I’m all in. You’ve already prepared this place, and we’re getting more prepared for the bad times. They’ll come, but they’re not here yet. In the meantime, I’m going to make sure you enjoy the good times while we can.”
Laura hugged her husband closer and said, “How did I get so lucky to find you?”
Darren chuckled and said, “Simple. You vetted me for two years, killed me off, and then kidnapped me, or don’t you remember?”
Laura let out a giggle, playfully slapped Darren on the chest, and said, “You’ll never let me forget that, will you?”
“Hey, don’t mess with me. I can always go down and have a chat with our friend, Deputy Willie.”, reminded Darren.
“Go ahead.”, said Laura, “You really think he’s going to believe that a big strong man like you was kidnapped by a little thing like me?”
“Hmmm. Maybe you’re right. I’m persuasive but not that persuasive.”, said Darren, thoughtfully, “I guess you’re just stuck with me, then.”
Laura kissed Darren on his neck and said, “Lucky me. As much as I’ve enjoyed the evening, I think we should get some sleep. Boomer’ll be coming down in the morning for breakfast, remember?”
“Okay, Mrs. Smith, if that’s what you desire.”, said Darren, curling up behind Laura.
“Mr. Smith, you know what I desire, but unfortunately Boomer’s coming around in the morning.”, said Laura, nestling herself closer to her husband.
After a short time, Laura whispered, “Darren?”
“Yeah?”, came the half-asleep man’s reply.
“I miss the kids.”, stated Laura, softly.
“I understand. It’s natural to miss them. They brought light and innocence to this place with their smiling and their giggling. You’ll miss them for a while.”, explained Darren.
“It’s just that they were one of the reasons for building this place, you know. So they would be safe and be able to lead normal lives and we could all be together as a family.”, said Laura.
“And you did the right thing with this place. But just because those kids are gone, doesn’t mean that it can’t be here for other kids.”, said Darren.
“Other kids? I think the Wilsons are a little past the baby making age, Boomer’s gay, so that just leaves us. I’m not sure if I’m ready to bring a child into the world that’s coming. Plus it would be a little hard to protect Safehaven with a big, fat belly. And, to be honest, I know it sounds silly but, I don’t feel right about having a baby out of wedlock.”, said Laura, blushing in the dark.
Darren chuckled and replied, “You are too sweet, you know that? When I mentioned other kids, I meant that when things go bad, a lot of adults will die and there’ll probably be orphans who’ll need a safe place to go. I was thinking we could bring them here. They could be safe and help bring life back to Martha and Henry, too. They could help with the farm and bring back some of that innocence and laughter we need. Now, as to the out of wedlock comment, do you really think God would only approve of a marriage performed in a church? I like to believe that He sees all our actions, and knows what’s in our hearts and our minds. He knows we’re good people with good hearts who are committed to each other. We respect and support each other. That’s what a true marriage is, isn’t it? I’d like to think that He’d approve of our relationship as it is without getting any organized religion involved. But, if you really want it, we can have that church wedding before we decide to have kids. I don’t mind. Besides, then I get a second wedding night and a honeymoon.”
Laura giggled and said, “Yeah, I’ll bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you? But, yes, I think I’d want that when the time is right. How do you always know the perfect things to say to make me feel better?”
Darren let out a sigh and said, “When you set up this place, everyone had a role. Your role is to be the leader. The Wilsons’ roles are to work the farm and take care of the animals. Magnum’s was to take care of the mechanicals and keep the place running. Rattler’s was to manage the site. Clarice’s role was that of the medic. Boomer’s role is provide security. Part of my role is to be a sounding board for you as the leader and to keep you mentally stable so you can run the whole thing effectively. That’s part of why you picked me, isn’t it?”
Laura kissed Darren’s hand and said, “You’re a wise man, Mr. Smith. But now that Magnum, Rattler, and Clarice are gone, we have holes in our organization. What do you suggest we do?”
“Well, the way I figure it, when the bad times come, there’ll be refugees coming up this way. My thinking is that some of them will have the skills we need. If they have the skills we can let them in. We’ll be okay.”, replied Darren.
Laura was quiet for a while and then climbed on top of Darren and began to kiss him passionately.
“I thought you said Boomer was coming in the morning.”, said Darren, between kisses.
“He can wait for a bit.”, said Laura, taking off her T-shirt.
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Post by texican on Mar 24, 2019 20:10:25 GMT -6
Bad times coming....
Texican....
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Post by accountant on Mar 25, 2019 11:53:45 GMT -6
Chapter 21
Revelations
The smell of coffee brought Darren back to consciousness. Before he opened his eye, he knew he was alone in bed. He could hear Laura and Boomer talking on the main floor.
Rather than be kicked back upstairs to get ready before being allowed to eat breakfast again, Darren decided to clean himself up first. In the shower, he noticed that the water pressure wasn’t as strong as yesterday and the water wasn’t as hot either. After getting ready, Darren went downstairs where he found Boomer and Laura finishing off a meal of bacon and eggs.
“Morning sleepyhead.”, said Laura.
“Hey Flower.”, said Boomer.
“Good morning guys.”, replied Darren as he fixed himself a plate, “How was your night, Boomer?”
“Not as good as yours, from what I could tell.”, said Boomer with a laugh, “The FLIR binoculars worked perfectly. I was able to see everything clearly. You’re quite the dancer there, Flower.”
“You saw everything?”, asked Darren, blushing.
“Don’t worry. I looked away at the good part.”, said Boomer, winking at Laura.
“Okay, enough about us. Was there any further news on the radio overnight?”, asked Laura.
“Yeah, actually there was. Overnight, FEMA protocols kicked in in a big way. I guess they’re looking for the terrorists that hit the substations everywhere. The major interstates have been shut down to all non-essential travel and the National Guard has been put to use setting up roadblocks across the country. The Coast Guard is on high alert and searching every vessel on the water. The feds must know about the EMP coming and are trying to stop it.”, said Boomer as he took a sip of coffee.
“I hope the kids got out before it happened.”, said Darren, “So with the FEMA protocols in place, what does that mean for us?”
“For us, not much right now. We’re set up fine here. They won’t bother us until the roundups begin.”, explained Laura.
“Roundups? I don’t’ like the sound of that.”, said Darren.
“After they start to run low of food in the cities, there’ll be a declaration of martial law and a national order to turn in all food in excess of 3 days rations to stop hoarders. At the same time, there’ll be an order to turn in all firearms. Anyone who doesn’t will be arrested and that’s when the roundups begin.”, explained Laura.
“The government can’t do that, it does against the constitution and bill of rights!”, said Darren.
“Sorry handsome, according the executive order 13603, knows as the National Defense Resource Preparedness order, the government, under martial law, can utilize any and all foodstuff in the country.”, said Laura.
“But what will people do after their 3 days of rations are finished?”, asked Darren.
“They’ll have to go to the FEMA camps since that’ll be the only government sanctioned place for food, shelter, and security.”, said Boomer.
“But what about farmers? They can’t just leave their crops to rot.”, said Darren.
“Oh, they won’t. Under the same executive order, the farmers can be ordered to continue to work the farm and give the crops to the government.”, said Laura.
“So if the EMP and foreign nations don’t wipe us out, our own government will? That doesn’t make sense.”, said Darren, frustrated.
“Now don’t go getting your knickers in a knot, Flower. It makes perfect sense.”, said Boomer, “The current government in power has always been in favor of taxing the rich and middle class, except themselves and their friends, and giving the money to the poor and illegals. They’ve supported government handouts and making the people dependent on the government. If the EMP gets us, they’ve lost. If they’re able to stop the EMP, they can use this as an excuse to control the masses. It’s a classic power move. Tell the people they need to be protected from the evil boogeyman by taking away their rights and liberties.”
“You guys seem awfully relaxed knowing all this.”, said Darren.
“We’ve known this or something like this would happen sooner or later and we’ve had time to accept it and prepare for it. You’re just hearing it now, so it hit like a ton of bricks.”, said Laura, picking up the now empty plates.
“All this time, I’ve been living happy, fat, and stupid.”, said Darren.
Laura giggled and said, “You’re not fat. Besides, no one pays attention to 95% of the laws and executive orders that have hit the books over the years. People are too busy watching football, or trying to figure out who the Bachelor’s going to pick.”
“And if you did tell anyone what you found out, you’d be labeled a conspiracy nutbar. Nobody wants that. The people who did figure it out, like us, are quietly preparing for what’s coming.”, said Boomer.
“Well, I’m glad we’re prepared then.”, said Darren, sighing.
After letting Darren take in everything that was said, Boomer stood and said, “I’m going to go hit the hay for a few hours. I’ve already fed and watered the dogs so they should be good for the time being. I’d stay to help with the dishes, but I don’t want to. You know how to reach me, if you do.”
After Boomer had left and the dishes were done, Laura asked Darren, “What do you feel like doing today?”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to take on that obstacle course again. It’s been a few of days since I ran it. Then after, I’d like to hit the range and get some practice in with the AR.”, responded Darren.
“I think that’s an excellent idea. I'll go drop off the keys to the truck to Henry and Martha. Then I’m going to go up the LP/OP, listen to the radio, and keep watch for a while. We can meet back up here for lunch. Take the whistle with you. It’s easy to get lost or hurt up in the woods. Don’t tire yourself out too much. If Henry and Martha find those wood stoves, we’ll need to get one of them installed at the house this afternoon.”, said Laura.
At the barn, the two exchanges kisses before Darren heft his pack full of .223 Remington ammo, magazines, and his rifle up the main path past the barn to the obstacle course.
Remembering what he has promised Rattler. He took the course at full speed and completed it three times before sitting down and drinking half a canteen of water. He didn’t know if he had broken the twelve minute mark that Rattler had set, but his aching muscles told him he must have been pretty close.
Slowly standing, Darren walked past the corn field where he saw the firing range set up. He saw that old military targets had been set up at 100, 250, 500, 1000, and 1500 yard marks. Behind the targets were large mounds of dirt being used to catch any stray projectiles. Slamming a 30 round magazine into the rifle, Darren charged the AR15, set it to semi-automatic, and zeroed the weapon before taking his first shot at the 100 yard target. The impact was three inches lower than what he had expects and Darren adjusted the sights before firing again. After three more shots, the resultant impact was where he had expected and the grouping was well within his parameters.
Satisfied with the 100 yard target, he moved to the 250 yard target and let off a few rounds there. The grouping was beginning to spread so Darren performed a slight adjustment on the sights and continued to fire. Happy with his performance, Darren spend the remainder of his time, and another magazine of ammunition at the 500 yard target before stripping and cleaning the rifle at the range. Hearing and feeling a rumble in his stomach, Darren knew it was time to head back to the house for lunch.
As he passed the barn, he heard the sound of two trucks honking their horns at the front gate. He quickly put a fresh magazine into the rifle and quickened his step down the main road of Safehaven.
Cresting the hill that overlooked the main retreat, Darren saw Rattler and Magnum’s vehicles driving through the main gate.
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Post by 9idrr on Mar 25, 2019 18:20:26 GMT -6
Nice to know that Darren can shoot well on an empty stomach.
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