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Post by smitty60 on Jan 27, 2021 10:40:46 GMT -6
Great story. Thanks
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Post by iamnobody on Jan 27, 2021 14:11:19 GMT -6
On the radio that he packed along, that night he is listening to the local FM station. They are making announcements of how great and smooth the FEMA operation of moving people to centrally located camps is going. How it will be easier for FEMA to better care for the people in one area instead of trying to provide for people spread out over the countryside. And a reminder to the people not to pack anything along on their bus trip because FEMA would be providing everything needed once they got to the camps. Tomorrow would see the last buses leaving from this area, so make sure the people arrived early to make it easy. John's stomach knotted up when he heard that.
Early next morning as the sun came up, John and the dog had broken camp and were already moving. He still had 5 miles to reach the town since he had spent so much time on the “woe is me pity party” yesterday.
When he reached town he had to slow down, he saw a lot of men in uniform with FEMA patches on them. They were all carrying M16's and wore vests holding magazines for the rifles. They traveled in groups of 3, patrolling the streets and some of them seemed to be doing work in stores and some of the fancier homes.
John and the dog slowly worked their way into town during the late afternoon of the 3rd day since leaving his cabin. They avoided the FEMA soldiers on their quest to find a preacher. At the church he found the preacher and the local FEMA guy. They were supervising the loading of the last busload of people in the town. The people were of his congregation and they were singing hymns in joy while the preacher told them it was their duty to go to the FEMA camps to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. The people were yelling Amen and Hallelujah after he said that. John is watching in disbelief as the last busload left town.
John saw the preacher and local FEMA man high 5 each other when the last bus was out of sight and congratulate each other on a job well done. Then he saw another FEMA man come out of a nearby fancy house. Everyone came to attention so John figured he must be an important man. The head FEMA boss told the 2 guys that they did a great job and to follow him to his office for their bonus and he also had a bottle of 20yr old whiskey for celebrating their success. The 2 men were excited and followed him inside.
John was starting to move closer to the house when he heard 2 shots and then the head FEMA man walks out alone carrying a whiskey bottle which he opens and takes a drink from. John hears him say that the mission is now a success.
The FEMA boss calls one of the FEMA soldiers over and tells him to make sure the stores and fancy homes have had the sensors installed that would detect any movement inside them. That way soldiers wouldn't have to be stationed nearby to get anyone they missed. Also to make sure any bodies were left lying where they were shot but to booby trap them so anyone rolling them over would get killed. The FEMA boss said anyone left would be trying to raid the stores for supplies and the fancy houses because the people would think that the rich would have things to get, that the senors would detect any movement inside and alert their base.
John's thoughts were swirling around inside his head. All the prepper posts and PAW stories have survivors scavenging / salvaging supplies from stores but those ideas were all a waste now. Now they are set up with sensors inside, waiting to send a signal on anyone that goes inside. John waits til it is dark, then he and the dog quietly make their way out of town and back into the woods.
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Post by papaof2 on Jan 27, 2021 15:25:45 GMT -6
I would expect there to be more useful things at the non-fancy houses. And some of those folks might also be sleeping in the woods...
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Post by sniper69 on Jan 27, 2021 15:53:07 GMT -6
I would expect there to be more useful things at the non-fancy houses. And some of those folks might also be sleeping in the woods... I figure John will find the guy that would always nod to him at church.
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Post by iamnobody on Jan 28, 2021 10:07:26 GMT -6
Its been 6 months since John left the town after watching the last busload of people leave for the FEMA camps. During that time he has been living the life of a nomad, moving from one area to another to avoid detection. Several times he has heard distant gunshots from the town. Most likely stragglers looking for supplies. He wondered how many of them were caught when they went into the fancy houses. John didn't think there would be many useful things in such places but people are always looking for materialistic things that are worthless. Just like before when they showed video on TV news of looting because of no power. Instead of going for food, most people were looting big screen TV's, name brand shoes and $200 pair of jeans.
He sometimes came across a recently dead body. He remembered they were booby trapped so was very careful when checking them. He found that the main way of trapping them was a grenade under them or rigged to a almost invisible string tied to something near them. Sometimes he would find a 2nd body of someone who tried rolling the 1st body over, not knowing they were booby trapped. John was careful while searching any bodies and he did find a few useful items. As for searching houses, he avoided searching houses in town and stuck with ones located out in the rural areas. The supplies he collected, he didn't try to carry them with him. He made caches and stashed them away. He visited the caches when he needed supplies every few days and only took enough for his needs. His traps were the main source of meat but he did set trot lines for fish when he was near the water. He planted guerrilla gardens by planting seed all over. A tomato plant here, a potato plant 100ft away, some green bean plants farther away. Never enough plants in one location that it would attract someone's eye to seeing a garden.
One day in his travels to visit a house he hadn't checked before, he came across a body in the yard. Poor guy looked like he was headed to the house and didn't make it. At least this person didn't have bullet holes in it. John started his precautionary check for booby traps around the body. He moves in closer to search under the body with his hand. He reaches under and is feeling for booby traps but then quickly yanks his hand out. He felt something but it sure wasn't a booby trap. He hears a slight groan, a live person after all these months. He gently rolls the person over and sees that it is a woman – the same person from church that always gave him a slight nod when he was on the “no associate with” list.
He remembered her name was Jill, a widow, and she was 45yrs old compared to his 30yrs. The last he had seen of her was her getting on the last bus to the FEMA camps. She looked very malnourished and when he felt her forehead, he felt the hotness of a fever. John is thinking a woman is the last thing he needs. The last 3 women had been very unGodly. His late wife had committed adultery and then cracked his head with a cast iron skillet, her sister Brenda had tried sex on him and the last one tried killing him. He still had the scar on his arm as a reminder. Now here is a woman in front of him. “Lord Jesus, can't I just leave her food and water and move on” John is debating with himself about what to do when the dog walks over and sits down beside her. He looks at the dog and says “really” The dog woofs and licks Jill's hand.
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Post by sniper69 on Jan 28, 2021 11:19:03 GMT -6
Thanks for the latest chapter. It looks like the dog has been a good judge of character so far, so hope the dog is judging character well this time.
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Post by kaijafon on Jan 28, 2021 11:46:52 GMT -6
oh my!! what could have happened at the fema camp??? they take care of the peoples!!
<not>
Thanks for the story! I'm enjoying it!
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Post by texican on Jan 28, 2021 22:50:00 GMT -6
“Lord Jesus, can't I just leave her food and water and move on” John is debating with himself about what to do when the dog walks over and sits down beside her. He looks at the dog and says “really” The dog woofs and licks Jill's hand.Yep the dog knows. ian, your work is ready to find a remote location with a house to house three. Texican.... ps: Thanks for the chapters.
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Post by iamnobody on Jan 29, 2021 8:06:45 GMT -6
John gently picks Jill up in his arms and heads to a sheltered spot where they can be out of sight and he can tend to her. The spot is a little hollow with lots of spruces as cover and a little stream flowing through it. Soon he had her there and made a pillow from spruce boughs for her head. He gave her some water with some honey mixed in it. Then proceeded to check her over for any wounds, broken bones or other problems. He removed her hat to check her head. Her hair was cut short now and was ragged looking. Spots were missing where her hair had been pulled out by the looks of it. No big cuts on her head. She was covered in a lot of dirt so he wet a rag in the stream and wiped her off. What he saw under the dirt sent a chill up his spine. Her face had a blackened eye and both cheeks had scars. He could see 2 of her front teeth were missing, 1 on the top and 1 on the bottom, most likely knocked out by his thinking. Her body was marked all over, front and back. She had welts, open cuts, burn marks and scars. Also there was a small lump on her arm. He held her arm up closer so he could see better. Just under the skin he could make out something that looked like a kernel of rice. His stomach knotted up as he quickly pulled his knife. He used some rubbing alcohol to clean the blade and then made a quick incision to remove the thing.
It looked like a little RFID chip, maybe used for storing info and tracking. John is asking the Lord in prayer of what to do. If he destroys it, whoever is tracking her will start looking in the last area it gave a signal. An idea comes to him. This area has coyotes and they cover big areas in their travel. If he could get the chip into one of them, it would give the impression that she was moving around and hopefully lead anyone tracking her away from them. John quickly took a #110 Conibear trap and set it on a nearby fallen tree and baited it with a dab of peanut butter. In a short time he heard a snap, he walked over and removed the squirrel carcass. He cut out one of the hind legs, cut out the bone and inserted the tracking chip into the meat.
He took that 300yds away from his camp and set it on a tree stump. He hid himself and started making a wounded rabbit sound with his mouth. The coyotes had been a lot less wary since all the people had left the area and it didn't take long for one to come running at the call he was doing. The coyote smelled the meat and quickly gulped it down, chip and the meat. The coyote trotted off. Now John and Jill would have some breathing room while that coyote was traveling miles away. Then hopefully the coyotes would “deposit” the chip far away.
Back at the camp, John made a small fire and cooked the leftover meat from the squirrel in some water to make a meat broth. To the broth he added some spruce needles, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, garlic, cayenne pepper and some honey. While that was simmering, he took out a small bottle of colloidal silver he had found in a house and when the meat broth / herbal was warm, he added a spoonful of the silver. He then sat behind Jill and pulled her up into a sitting position against him. He slowly got small sips into her even though her fever had her delirious. He got her to drink the whole cupful he had made. John ate the rest of the squirrel meat.
Over the next 3 days John made different nourishing drinks to get her health back and rid her of the fever, giving her a cupful every few hours. He kept adding the different spices and herbs to the drinks, along with the silver. John was amazed at how many common cooking spices were actually great for sickness. Along with some comfrey and honey smeared on her open cuts and burns to heal them. And John did a lot of praying to Jesus for Jill's healing.
In the afternoon of the 3rd day, Jill's eyes opened and with a clear mind, saw John kneeling a few feet away from her. She moved and realized all she had on was a blanket.
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Post by sniper69 on Jan 29, 2021 8:30:21 GMT -6
I bet Jill was "shocked" when she woke up.
This is a great story, thank you for sharing it.
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Post by arkansascob on Jan 29, 2021 10:07:36 GMT -6
Really enjoying this storyline and the flow.
Thanks
COB
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Post by texican on Jan 29, 2021 20:14:02 GMT -6
In the afternoon of the 3rd day, Jill's eyes opened and with a clear mind, saw John kneeling a few feet away from her. She moved and realized all she had on was a blanket.
Sans clothing generally tempers most people's reactions.
John will probably turn several shades of red before he explains what has been happening.
Thanks ian for the chapter. The next chapter will be interesting.
Texican....
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Post by cutter on Jan 29, 2021 21:20:02 GMT -6
The writing style is a little different that I'm used to, and it's taking some getting used to, but I'm really liking the story. I'm not complaining, just commenting. You're doing a great job
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Post by iamnobody on Jan 30, 2021 11:13:42 GMT -6
The writing style is a little different that I'm used to, and it's taking some getting used to, but I'm really liking the story. I'm not complaining, just commenting. You're doing a great job No offense taken. I have read every story on here, many of them several times. I am just a country boy and a lot of times my thoughts are slow and choppy coming from my brain to my 2 fingers typing.
I was married for 13yrs but am now a widower raising 3 teenagers. I wear the hat of being a dad, the hat of family provider, and the hat of a country boy running a small hobby farm. Sometimes I am a little busy and rush things. But Jesus is my strength.
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Post by iamnobody on Jan 30, 2021 11:17:12 GMT -6
John heard a moan and looked up to see Jill looking at him. He told her he was happy she was awake.
Jill started right in on John about her having no clothes on under the blanket. Asking if he has been having sex with her and doing perverted things to her. With an embarrassed red face John is stuttering that he did no such things. She is still verbally brow beating him and saying he had no reason to remove her clothes, etc. He says he had to be able to tend her wounds, that her clothes had been stuck to her body in the open wounds and that in the 3 days she has been there, she has had several bowel movements. She still said none of that mattered, he had no right. That she was leaving. He said that was fine by him, that he hadn't asked to find her laying in that yard, here was a set of his extra pants and shirt, get dressed and leave now.
She grabbed the clothes he threw at her, put them on under the blanket. She stood up to leave, took a step and fell to the ground, passed out again from being so weak.
John put her back in the spot she had been laying since he had carried her into the sheltered spot, then leaving her clothes on, covered her with the blanket. He started making a small pile of supplies for her. He could hear her starting to moan but he continued his work. He set some food in the pile, some matches, some TP and then her shoes that she had been wearing when he found her.
When he was done, he looked around to find that she was awake again. He pointed at the pile of food and said it was for her and that he and the dog were leaving. He grabbed his pack and rifle while mumbling something about women and started walking away.
He had barely walked 20 feet before she asked him to wait. He turned around and looked at her and spat out one anger filled word – why! She said because she was asking the forgiveness of a Christian brother whom she had wronged.
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Post by texican on Jan 30, 2021 22:41:04 GMT -6
He had barely walked 20 feet before she asked him to wait. He turned around and looked at her and spat out one anger filled word – why! She said because she was asking the forgiveness of a Christian brother whom she had wronged.
Sobered John's anger right up.
Thanks ian for the chapter.
Texican....
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Post by iamnobody on Feb 1, 2021 10:14:06 GMT -6
She sat up and wrapped the blanket around her. John stood about 15 feet away. She looked up at him and said the preacher had told everyone that you threw Sally and her baby out of the cabin. That she had called Rick for a ride into town. That you were chasing them down the mountain and that is why they lost control and went over the steep drop off. That you caused their deaths. Jill said she had found that hard to believe because he had been so active in the church and always polite and well mannered. But the preacher and deacon both said you did it. Then she had heard little rumors around town how it was Sally cheating on him and running off with Rick.
John told her what happened, that Rick and his buddies showed up in 2 trucks, how he had grabbed his gun to defend his wife and child, how Sally had hit him from behind with a cast iron skillet, how she had told him the baby was Rick's, how she had kicked him between the eyes as he laid on the porch. That he came to later with the sheriff and deputy standing over him telling him about the trucks going over the drop off, how the coroner's report showed high alcohol levels in her blood and illegal drugs too. How the preacher and deacon said it was his fault Sally committed adultery before and after the marriage.
Jill stared off into space for a minute. She told John that the preacher said that with the food shortages, to rely on FEMA because that was God's way of taking care of them. Then when FEMA demanded the guns for food, that Christians didn't need those evil things. Then when they were taking all people to the FEMA camps, the preacher said it was our Christian duty to go there and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. That they all boarded that bus, singing hymns and filled with joy. All families kept together on the buses and they were told FEMA would provide everything they needed.
When they arrived at the camps, they were told all men, all boys over 12 years old, all people over 60 years old and all sick people were to remain on the bus to go to another camp a ¼ mile away. Some men tried to get off the bus to be with their wife and children but the FEMA soldiers clubbed them or shot them. All women and the young children were herded into the camp while all the other people on the buses were drove away to the other camp.
Once inside the camp, the women and children were told to completely strip their clothes off, put the clothes in a big pile, line up and go through showers. To make sure they were clean and they would get new clothes when they were done. All the FEMA soldiers were watching while they formed lines of naked women and children and started leering at them. Once through the showers they were given a very short robe and sandals to wear. Then through another line where a RFID chip was injected into their arm and they were given a shot which she learned later was for birth control and would be given again every month. The RFID chip contained their info – name, age and would be able to track them everywhere they went. Jill found out later that night why they were given birth control and that would start her months long nightmare. Not only would the soldiers rape them almost every day, but a lot of them would also beat them, burn them with cigarettes or hot metal, cut them with knives and yank them around by their hair.
They were given very little food but were allowed out in a fenced area for exercise. While in the outside fenced area they could hear constant shots and bulldozer sounds from the other camp where the rest of the people had went. As time went by she learned that people in the other camp were shot, threw in a large ditch and the bulldozer would cover them with dirt. At night the women would sleep in a large open barracks but even after being raped before going to sleep, they would often be grabbed while they slept and be raped again. Or wake up to a piece of hot metal burning them by some perverted soldier.
Jill had weighed 120lbs when she entered the camp, now she weighed 90lbs 6 months later. About a week ago she had been outside near evening and noticed a small gap under the fence. The soldiers were all watching and laughing as one guy was beating a woman. She saw her chance, wiggled under the fence and out into the deepening night time.
In her travels she had found some pants, shirt and shoes that would fit her. She had found very little food to eat. She vaguely remembered going towards a house to check for food and remembered no more til she woke up and saw John and finding herself naked again. All she could think of was the FEMA soldiers raping her when she was naked before.
She suddenly got a scared look in her eyes as she remembered the tracking chip in her arm and told John. He told her he had already found it and removed it and how he had put it into a coyote. She relaxed some and said she was tired and wanted to sleep some more. He said go ahead, he would be on watch and have her some food when she woke up.
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Post by iamnobody on Feb 2, 2021 9:29:34 GMT -6
John was sickened by what he had heard from Jill. The bible tells us that we are all sinful, but to hear the depraved things that were done to her brought it forcibly home to him. He had heard about such wicked things being done in the past, but those stories were always about people in 3rd world countries, how could these things be done in civilized USA. He got out his bible and started reading it and praying for Jill. Every now and then he could hear Jill whimper in her sleep. The dog heard her too and went to her and snuggled up tight against her. Jill's arm went around the dog. John set out to prepare some food so it would be ready for when she woke up. He used some chicken mash and cooked it, added some honey he had took from a wild bees nest. He painfully remembered the stings he received in getting the honey. He also made some herbal tea to continue strengthening her immune system.
Soon after that Jill woke up and realized she was cuddling the dog, who promptly gave her a big, wet dog kiss and then walked off. John heard her stomach rumble and told her the food was ready. He thanked God for the food and dished some out for her along with the herbal tea. Between eating and drinking, she asked where he had got the food, that the places she checked in her travels had little food. He told her what it was and that there was a good amount of animal feed left in a lot of places. She looked at him with a funny look, watched him eat his portion, then slowly started eating her portion again,
He explained what was in animal food and the tea containing cooking spices. He also handed her a small can of the salve he had made to put on her wounds. Then told her he would not be putting it on her now that she was awake. He told her it was to disinfect and heal her wounds quicker. Later in privacy she applied the salve and did notice that her wounds looked clean and had that healthy pink look to them. The burns and scars were fading some but John had said they would always be visible but at least the salve would make them more pliable and not so tough.
They stayed in the sheltered spot a few more days while Jill was getting some strength then he said it was time to for him to move on. He wanted to check that house out where he had found her laying in the yard. He told her she could go along or go her on way and he would give her some supplies to get her started. She said she would go along for now while she thought about what to do.
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Post by cavsgt on Feb 2, 2021 13:25:51 GMT -6
Very good read with nice flow.
Thank You phill
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Post by texican on Feb 2, 2021 19:56:45 GMT -6
He told her she could go along or go her on way and he would give her some supplies to get her started. She said she would go along for now while she thought about what to do.
Jill will team up with John for it will be good for both of them and the dog.
Thanks ian for the chapter.
Texican....
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Post by cutter on Feb 2, 2021 22:00:48 GMT -6
Huh! He saved her life, forgave her of her baseless, hateful accusations, nursed her back to health, fed her; and now she thinks she'll ride his coat tails while she THINKS about what to do!?! That's gratitude for ya'! I'm stressed and touchy right now, but John is obviously far more forgiving than I am. I guess I need to do some serious praying and Bible reading.
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Post by papaof2 on Feb 2, 2021 22:47:00 GMT -6
That John is more patient then I am. I might have told her "Why don't you ask that other John for help?" and pointed to an outhouse...
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Post by texican on Feb 2, 2021 23:12:09 GMT -6
That John is more patient then I am. I might have told her "Whay don't you sak that other John for help?" and pointed to an outhouse... pp2, Us older guys do get a little more pushy as we get older, do we not? Texican....
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Post by iamnobody on Feb 3, 2021 15:49:12 GMT -6
Before dawn the next day, John woke Jill by calling her name, he wasn't going to touch her. She was slow moving and didn't want to leave so early but he insisted. He said he would begin teaching her what was needed to survive out here. She protested that she already knew how and he asked her if that is why he found her face down in a yard, malnourished, dehydrated, and having a fever. She didn't say another word but her eyes were shooting daggers at him. He told her that he would show her how to move quietly, to be watchful of things on the ground and drones in the sky. To check houses before going into them, to check for booby traps under any bodies. How to cache any supplies they found and what livestock feeds were edible, how to trap animals and catch fish for meat. What wild plants were useful for food and medicine.
They were on the move shortly after daybreak. He headed towards the house where he had found her. He had them stay in the woods even though she said it would be easier walking on the road. He said yes it would be and easier to be spotted too. He warned her that there were still occasional 3 man patrols and about drones flying over. When they got to the house, Jill was ready to just walk up to the place. John said they would circle the place while looking it over for anything suspicious. Satisfied that things looked okay from the outside, they moved towards the house at a fast pace. Jill started towards the door, but he lead her to the side window. Looking in the window, he explained he was looking for a sensors left behind to alert their base if someone came in the doors. Normally a sensor facing the front door and another the back door. Seeing none, he took a slim pry bar from his backpack and slid it between the the top and bottom panes of the window, unlocking them. He pulled himself up into the house and then then reached back to help Jill. She said she needed no help and finally got herself in.
John had continued looking around and saw nothing suspicious. He headed to the kitchen to see what was there. She moved in front of him and started opening cabinets. There was a can of anchovies and a small can of artichokes. Jill said there was nothing but he took both cans. In the pantry John hit treasure. He found a dozen cans each of dog and cat food plus almost a full bag of dry dog food. John was excited over having the canned dog food but Jill looked ready to puke at the thought of eating them. His dinner was cooked chicken mash with canned dog food over the top. She elected to have plain chicken mash.
John and Jill continued moving around over the next month. He was trying to teach her things but she was slow at learning them. She had asked about the towns but he said they had too many sensors and patrols in them. One night they made camp about a mile from their old hometown. She kept looking in that direction but didn't say anything. Supper finished, he was spreading his sleeping bag when she came near him and said she needed held, could she share his bed with him. He slowly nodded yes and she slid in his bed where he could wrap his arm over her. After a while she turned to face him and kissed his lips. It was like a electric jolt through his body. The kiss soon lead to more things but we will give them privacy.
In the morning John woke up late but with a smile when he remembered. He looked around for Jill but couldn't see her. What he did see was a note attached to his boots. “Went to the town, this life is not for me.”
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Post by texican on Feb 3, 2021 19:02:51 GMT -6
The kiss soon lead to more things but we will give them privacy.
In the morning John woke up late but with a smile when he remembered. He looked around for Jill but couldn't see her. What he did see was a note attached to his boots. “Went to the town, this life is not for me.”
Life will be hard after it falls apart and some are not able to cope with it and will take a way out that will not be a way out.
John needs to leave and run away as fast as he can, now.
Texican....
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