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Post by accountant on Apr 13, 2018 9:04:10 GMT -6
In this chapter there is violence, death, an emotional breakdown, and finally relief for Paul.
This was arguably the hardest chapter for me to write and it took a lot out of me. I hope you like it. Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks, A.
Chapter 40
Paul wasn’t sure if the ALICE pack was just heavier than his original suitcase pack or if they had packed more items into the pack. Either way, it felt heavier than before. He didn’t care, though. They were less than 40 kilometers from London proper and he would finally find out about Shawna within the next few days.
As the day was about to break, he let his mind wander. Would she still be there? Did she take a different route back and was she waiting for him in Brampton? If she wasn’t there, would he continue to search for her? Where would he go next? How would he find out where she might have gone? Was it right to drag Carol through the country looking for his daughter? Would he have to give up, for Carol’s sake?
“Hey, where’d you go?”, whispered Carol, breaking his thoughts.
“Huh?”, he asked.
“I saw you getting lost in your thoughts again. I was just wondering what you were thinking about.”, she said.
“Sorry, I should have been paying more attention to the road.”, he replied, mentally kicking himself for not being more aware.
“It’s okay. I’m keeping watch and Rex is scouting up ahead.”, she reassured him.
Just as Paul was about to tell her what he was thinking, a chorus of wolf howls could be heard in the distance.
Instinctively, Carol held her walking stick in a defensive position and pulled up close to Paul.
“Don’t worry. They won’t do anything to us. Those wolves are far away and they are letting each other know that they are headed back to the den after a night of hunting.”, Paul said calmly.
Out of the blue, they heard a sound that made Paul’s blood turn to ice.
“Quick, we have to get into those trees.”, he said to Carol, as he grabbed her by the arm, “Rex, come!”
Quickly, they ran into the stand of trees close to the road and hid.
They had just enough time to get down when they saw it. The car’s headlights lighting up the road in front of them. It was an old 1968 Ford Mustang and it slowed and stopped where Carol and Paul had just been.
“Hello there.”, called a woman, in her forties, from the car.
Neither Paul nor Carol answer the call.
“It’s okay. We aren’t going to hurt you. We see that you’re walking. Would you like a lift?”, she asked.
Paul put his hand on the grip of the pistol under his jacket.
“No, we’re fine. Thanks for asking.”, he said cautiously.
“We don’t mind.”, the woman said, “We always try to help travellers.”,
“We’re fine, thank you.”, Paul re-iterated.
“No problem. Be safe. And if you need anything, we are up at the Johnson farm about three kilometers up this road. Just ask for Clyde and Sarah Johnson. We’d be glad to help.”, she said, waving good-bye.
The car accelerated and continued down the road.
Paul’s heart stopped racing and he released the grip on the weapon.
“What was that all about?”, asked Carol.
“I don’t know, but I don’t think we want to find out. At the next intersection, we are getting off this road. I don’t want to be anywhere near the Johnson farm.”, he said as he quickened his pace.
As they continued their walk, about fifteen minutes later, they heard the sound of gunshots ahead of them.
They reached the next intersection just as they heard the roaring engine of the classic car coming back towards them.
As before, Carol and Paul jumped into the closest strand of trees. When the car passed, this time it didn’t have the couple in it. Rather, there were three rough looking men hooting, hollering, and waving their guns out the windows of the vehicle.
“Paul?”, said Carol with a worried look in her eye.
“I know.”, he said grimly. He thought of what could have happened if they had met those men on the road.
“The Johnsons are probably dead, aren’t they?”, asked Carol.
“I don’t know. I just know that we need to get out of here as fast as we can.”, he said as he headed down the other road.
“Wait. What if they aren’t dead? What if they need our help? Three kilometers isn’t that far. We could find help for them.”, she said.
“Carol, please be reasonable. What if there are still others like those two men down the road? What if it’s an ambush. I don’t want to risk it. We need to get out of here now.”, Paul said.
“For someone so analytical, you sure aren’t thinking straight, right now. Do you really think anyone would not had gotten into that car if they had a chance? What would the ambush be for now? No, those people tried to help us. I’m going to see if they need help. It’s the right thing to do.”, Carol said as she headed off down the road with Rex tagging along beside her.
Paul knew she was right. His emotions had gotten in the way of the processing function of his brain. He had been so consumed with being safe that he hadn’t thought properly. He walked quickly and met her step.
“Sorry, I don’t know that I was thinking.”, he said.
“Yes you do. You were thinking about keeping us safe.”, Carol responded as she walked faster.
Less than ten minutes later, they saw the bodies of the couple lying on the pavement. Both had been shot in the head. There was nothing they could do for them.
“I think we should tell the people at the Johnson farm about this.”, said Carol as she stood.
“Yeah, we should. It’s only about a kilometer away.”, Paul responded.
“Only a kilometer away from home.”, said Carol with a shudder. It was a scary thought.
By the time they reached the farm house gate, the sun was up and they could see sentries standing watch.
“Stay where you are.”, said one of them as Carol and Paul came closer., “What can we do for you?”
“Is this the Johnson farm?”, ask Carol.
“Yes. How can we help you?”, came the answer.
“We met Clyde and Sarah about three kilometers up the road when they asked us if we needed a ride. We declined and they came on ahead. We heard gunshots later. They were carjacked. Unfortunately, they were killed about a kilometer up the road. I’m sorry. We just thought you should know.”, she said.
Carol and Paul started heading off past the gate slowly.
“Wait.”, said a young man with tears in his eyes. “They..ahh…They were my parents. I umm…They ummm. Please come inside and rest. You look tired. They would have…They would have want that.”
Carol touched Paul’s hand and looked at him, searchingly. Paul nodded.
They were brought into the property and taken to the farm house. There they took off their packs and were seated on the patio furniture on the front porch.
“Let me get you some water.”, said the young man as he quickly made his way into the farm house. He soon returned with two glasses of water.
“I’m sorry, but I have to leave you for a while. I..umm..I have to make arrangements to bring my parents home.”, he said, with a quivering voice.
“No, please. You go and do what you have to do. We don’t want to be a bother.”, said Paul.
The couple watched as the young man ran to the barn.
As they were sitting, an older man came out of the house.
“Hello. I’m Gerald Johnson. You’ve met my grandson Phillip. I want to thank you for what you did, telling us about my son and his wife. Please come into the house and we can talk.”, he said gently.
Paul and Carol walked with the older gentleman into the front room of the house.
“My name is Carol and this is Paul. We’re terribly sorry about what happened to your son and his wife.”, said Carol.
“Yes, it is terrible what happened. But I know they were doing what they had always done. They were trying to help others. Clyde was like his mother in that sense. He was always fostering dogs from the rescue center, helping out the homeless in the city, and helping out any neighbor that needed help. That’s how he met Sarah. They were both helping at the homeless shelter one day and it was love at first sight. They were good people and raised Phillip to be a good, helpful, God-fearing young man. They are in the comfort of God’s house now, thankfully. They even helped me. It was through them that I first came to know Jesus Christ as a friend and saviour. Can you imagine? A sixty year old man finally having a relationship with God. “, he said.
“It must be a comfort thinking that they are with God now.”, said Paul.
“You’re not a big fan of God, are you son?”, asked Gerald as he looked into Paul’s eyes.
“I’m sorry, but there isn’t that much to be a fan of lately, if I am being frank.”, said Paul, lowering his eyes.
“Yes, thing have certainly been different lately, haven’t they? A lot of people have lost loved ones. Can I assume you have as well?”, Gerald asked, gently.
Paul didn’t respond. The pain and anguish was beginning to grow.
“Yes, he lost his wife and daughter in Toronto when the planes crashed down on the first day. I lost my husband and children when a gang attacked our neighborhood.”, answered Carol.
“Yes, awful things have happened since that day. We don’t know when He will call his children home. I know it may be hard to understand, but the good Lord had a plan for each of us even though we may not see it.”, Gerald said.
Paul could hold it in no longer.
“A plan? God has a plan? What is His plan to take my family from me? Was it His plan to take her family from her? Was it His plan to make us wander like vagabonds looking for my younger daughter who may or may not be dead? What kind of God does that? I used to believe in a loving, caring God. I used to think that He was just testing me by putting hardships into my life. I used to think that one day my pain would be over, one day He would reward me for my patience. But he never did. Instead, God only made things worst. I’ve done things that I never would have done if that day never came. I used to be a good man. I have so much guilt, you couldn’t comprehend.”, Paul said anger and pain.
“I’m sure that if you were a good man, you probably still are. What could you have done that was so bad?”, Gerald asked softly and solemnly.
“I stole. I looted a pharmacy after the day.”, spat out Paul.
“I’m sure you had a good reason for taking what was there. Did you keep it for yourself?”, asked Gerald.
“No, I did it for our community. We needed the supplies and I didn’t want the gangs to get it.”, said Paul.
“God put the supplies in your path so you could use them in your hour of need so you could help your community. Did you hurt anyone to get them? No, I don’t think so. You’re not a bad person, Paul.”
“No? Would a good person hide when the gangs attack his friends? Would he watch as an elderly neighbor was beaten to death? Would a good man run and let a boy take a bullet that was meant for him? He was only seventeen! He was just a child. Why did he have to die? It should have been me! It should have been me!!!”, Paul was wailing now, the anguish pouring out with every word.
“ It’s not your fault that the gangs attacked. It was that lady’s time to go home. You couldn’t have stopped it. It’s not your fault that the young man died. That bullet wasn’t meant for you. It was meant to bring that boy to God’s side. If God had meant for you to die, you would have. The pain you are feeling now shows that you are a good man.”
“No I’m not! God, why does everyone keep saying that??? I’ve killed. I murdered two men. Even your bible says killing is a sin. I’m a murderer! I’m a murderer!”, Paul continued to scream.
“Paul, stop. You did what you did to save me.”, said Carol, crying and putting her arm around Paul to comfort him, “They were going to rape and kill me. You didn’t kill them, you saved me.”
“Your friend is right, Paul. God saw her pain and He sent you as her protector. You didn’t take two lives, you saved one.”
“You’re calling ME a protector? I ran and hid for four days when the gang attacked. All of them are dead. Men, women, and children. Innocent children are dead because I ran away! I should have done more. Even now, your family asked us to get into the car with them. I was afraid. If we had gone with them, maybe they would not have been killed, maybe I could have helped them. They’re dead because I was afraid! I have so much blood on my hands and the body count keeps mounting! So many are dead and I am still alive!”, the pain and devastation pours out of the crushed man like a tidal wave.
“Son, you didn’t know when the gang would attack or I’m sure you would have done what you could to bring those people to safety. You also didn’t know what would have happened if you had gotten into the car with Clyde and Sarah. No man is perfect. Everyone feels afraid sometimes. Even Abraham, who had the protection of the Lord on him, was afraid when he went into Egypt. That’s why he told the pharaoh that Sarah was his sister and not his wife. You need to release your guilt, Paul. No man should have to carry the burden you are carrying. Release it and give it to God. In the end, He knows what’s truly in your heart and why you did what you did. Let Him carry the load. He knows your pain, loves you, and wants to help you.”
“He loves me? No, God doesn’t love me! He can’t love me! I tried to do the one thing that every religion says is the worst sin that can be committed. I tried to kill myself! I tried to overdose on pills, I tried to hang myself, and I even had a gun ready in case the other two ways didn’t work. Three times! Three times I tried to commit suicide.”
Gerald bowed his head, closed his eye, and put his hands together as if in prayer. He just sat there, seeking guidance from God on how to help the tortured soul broken in front of him.
After a few minutes, he finally opened his eyes, and put his hands on Paul’s hands and said, “Paul, listen to me. I understand that you felt weak and overwhelmed. But, I want you to think for a moment. You tried to kill yourself in three different ways, but, you are still here. You are still here, son. You tried to kill yourself and had three different ways to do it, but you’re not dead. What are the odds of that? No, my friend, you weren’t meant to die. You were meant to be here, now, praise God. The Lord has a plan and you are a part of that plan. Release your guilt and put on the armor of the Lord. He has guided you so far on your path and will continue to guide you where you are needed.”
Paul couldn't stop crying as Carol and Gerald tried to comfort him.
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Post by arkansascob on Apr 13, 2018 10:23:56 GMT -6
WOW ! What a Great Chapter. It was pulling me in with the pain and emotion and all the guilt. Let it all out Paul. It will do you good.
Thanks A for another Excellent and emotional chapter.
COB
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Post by texican on Apr 13, 2018 11:35:41 GMT -6
WOW ! What a Great Chapter. It was pulling me in with the pain and emotion and all the guilt. Let it all out Paul. It will do you good. Thanks A for another Excellent and emotional chapter. COB ^^^^THIS^^^^ Texican....
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Post by sniper69 on Apr 15, 2018 15:09:46 GMT -6
An excellent chapter indeed!
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Post by accountant on Apr 16, 2018 11:07:45 GMT -6
Thank you everyone for your kind word. They are greatly appreciated.
Chapter 41
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be burdening you with this. You’re in mourning yourself. I had no right to lay all my problems on you.”, said Paul after a long time of crying.
“Son, you weren’t burdening me at all. It seems that you had been storing up all that negativity inside you for a long time. I was just glad that I was here to help you. And in regards to mourning, yes I will miss my son and daughter-in-law, but I also know that they are together sitting at God’s table, watching over us. They did what they were supposed to do on this earth and have gone on to a better place. I’m thankful for that.”, said Gerald, “Now, you must hungry and tired. Why don’t we fix you something to eat and then you can rest for a while.”
“I don’t think I can eat much, but I’m sure Carol must be hungry.”, said Paul.
“Let’s go into the kitchen and I’ll see what we can put together for breakfast.”, said Gerald as he stood up.
Carol and Paul stood up and followed the older man further into the farm house. Paul sat down at the small table in the kitchen and Carol helped Gerald preparing the meal. It was light with scrambled eggs, some oatmeal, and another glass of water.
After breakfast, Gerald showed them upstairs to a guestroom and left them saying that they could take all the time that they needed to rest up and if they needed anything to come back down and someone would help them.
Paul was sitting on the bed, taking his boots off when Carol came over and hugged him. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him deeply with tears in her eyes.
“I’m sorry.”, she said as she held him close, “I didn’t realize how much pain you were in. You had so much inside you and yet you still tried to help anyone you could. I should have asked you. I’m so sorry.”
Paul looked at her as she lowered her eyes, the blonde hair framing her face. He realized that not only was she a beautiful woman, but she also had a good caring heart. Perhaps God had meant for him to save her that day. Maybe He did have a plan for him and she was a part of it.
He got up from the bed, and pulled down the sheets without saying a word. Silently, he sat Carol on the bed and removed her boots and socks. He then unzipped her jacket and took it off. He took off his own jacket, laid Carol on the bed and crawled in himself.
Lying down next to her, Paul took off his glasses, looked into Carol’s eye, caressed her face and whispered, “I don’t want you to have to feel sorry ever again.”
One last kiss and they both fell asleep in each other’s arms.
When Paul woke up, he didn’t know what time it was but Carol was still asleep in his arms, holding him tight.
Was his life now supposed to be only with Carol? Was he not supposed to find Shawna? Was he supposed to turn back and start fresh in this new world? Was this how it was supposed to be from now on, falling asleep with Carol by his side and waking up with her in his arms? Was Shawna truly gone?
Carol opened her eyes and smiled.
“She has the smile of an angel”, thought Paul, “Any man could get lost in this eyes. They shine with the light of love, caring, and compassion. They can take away all my pain and heartache, if I let them.”
“Hey”, she said softly.
“Hey”, came the usual reply with a smile.
“Are you okay?”, she asked, touching his face.
“Yeah, I’m better now. I guess I just needed to get all those things out. Thank you for being there for me. Not just for today, but through everything.”, he said, trying to put into words all the thoughts that were racing though his head, but not doing a very good job of it.
“You’re an idiot.”, she said, softly, “I will always be there for you. Just like you have always been there for me. You’ve always looked out for everyone as much as you could. That’s just your nature and I’m grateful for that. But you need someone to watch out for you too and I will be that person.”
Paul wanted her so badly. He wanted to forget the world and just stay with her like this forever. He kissed her passionately again and again, hoping that his lips could convene the feelings and thoughts that his brain wasn’t able to express.
Finally, he said, “Carol, I…I”. The words wouldn’t come out.
“I know. I feel it too.”, said Carol, breathlessly, “I know. And when we find Shawna, we will be together. We will be a family and we will be together forever.”
“Yes, I want that. I want to grow old with you. I want to sit on a rocking chair with you looking out on a small farm where our grandchildren will be playing with the great great grand-puppies of that damn dog.”
Carol laughed her sweet laugh and smiled. She sat up and said, “Okay, let’s make that dream a reality. Let’s find Shawna and take her home.”
Paul got up from the bed, refreshed with a new sense of purpose. He looked out the window of the room which overlooked the farm. It had rained while they were sleeping and the air felt crisp and clean. There were cows and pigs in a meadow, horses in a corral, and chickens scratching in the mud in their fenced in chicken coop. Rex was playing with a black and white border collie. The vegetable garden shone with the new rain and the sprouting stalks and leaves were wet with raindrops.
In the path leading to the barn, he saw two horses in the front of an old buckboard with the shapes of two bodies in the back covered in blankets.
“It looks like Phillip has brought his parents home. Let’s go see if there is anything we can do to help.”, said Carol as she looked over Paul’s shoulder.
The pair made their way down to the main floor of the farm house and saw Gerald consoling his grandson.
“Hello. I hope you had a pleasant rest.”, said Gerald, seeing them.
“Yes, thank you. We didn’t mean to intrude. We’ll go out to the front porch if you need any help.”, said Paul, awkwardly.
“Thank you for your offer. While you were resting, Phillip brought Clyde and Sarah home and we were able to prepare their final resting spots on the grounds. We were just about to head over and lay them to rest. It would be our pleasure if you would join us in our service.”, said Gerald as he let go of Phillip, and wiped a tear from his eye.
“Of course”, said Carol, “It would be our honor to join you.”
They all left the house through the front door and Paul noticed a small crowd of people were now milling around the buckboard. It seemed that all the neighbours in the adjoining farms had been told about Clyde and Sarah’s death and had come to share in the service.
Slowly, the procession made its way through the farm and stopped at a patch of land under a large oak tree where two graves had been dug. The bodies were carefully lowered from the buckboards and gently lowered into the ground. Gerald stood at the side of the graves and read a few selections from the bible that Sarah had given him when he had found Jesus. He said a few words about the loving, caring couple and then let Phillip speak. Although his speech was not as eloquent as Gerald’s, everyone could see the love the young man had for his parents. He was deeply saddened by the violence that had taken them from him, but he was proud of the lives of service they had both lived and vowed to continue their legacy.
The ceremony over, everyone made their way back to the farm house. Neighbors brought food from their farms and everyone was enjoying the meal and the fellowship.
Paul and Carol were sitting on the front porch with their plates and Rex took his place beside Carol, waiting for a tidbit or two. It was starting to get late and Paul was itching to continue on their trek once more.
Gerald came out of the house with a few of the neighbours who were leaving and took a seat beside Carol.
“Thank you for being here. I hope you had enough to eat.”, he said as he scratched Rex behind his ears.
“Yes, thank you for the meal.”, said Carol, “The service was lovely.”
“It was our pleasure having you.”, said Gerald.
“We’ll be out of your hair and on our way shortly.”, said Paul.
“Yes, you mentioned that you were looking for your daughter.”, said Gerald.
“Yes, my daughter, Shawna, was studying at Western on the day it happened. She never made it back home, so we are going to London to see if we can find out what happened to her.”, said Paul.
“She was at Western, you say?”, ask Gerald, “What was she studying?”
“She was in her first year of Engineering.”, said Carol.
Gerald paused for a moment, as if in thought.
“I think you need to talk to Stanley.”, he said, with concern in his voice.
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Post by texican on Apr 16, 2018 21:12:44 GMT -6
A,
Thanks for the chapter....
Seems like a trail is going to be revealed about Shawna....
Only another chapter will reveal....
Texican....
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Post by arkansascob on Apr 17, 2018 9:30:01 GMT -6
Thanks A for another great read. Grave side ceremonies always bring a tear to the eye.
Im sure Stanley will have some concerning news about Western but there is still lots of hope for Shawna. By the way i really love that name.
Kicking back with my feet propped up patiently waiting for another installment.
COB
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Post by accountant on Apr 17, 2018 14:16:20 GMT -6
News about Shawna and a plan is formulated.
Chapter 42
Paul put down his plate, his hunger for food completely diminished by the seriousness of Gerald’s tone. Rex quickly went the plate and began to eat the leftovers.
Seeing Phillip talking to some of the neighbors by the barn, Gerald called out to him, “Phillip, could you bring Stanley over, please?”
Phillip nodded, said good bye to the neighbors and walked into the barn, returning with a young man of Asian descent. The two walked up to the porch and Gerald introduced Stanley to Carol and Paul.
“Stanley joined us a couple of weeks ago. He was studying Engineering at Western before it all happened. You should listen to his story”, said Gerald, grimly.
The news hit Paul with the force of a sledgehammer. Could it be? Could this boy have some information about Shawna? Was she here? Was she alive? Was she safe?
“We are looking for my daughter, Shawna. She was a first year Engineering student at Western. Do you know her? Do you know where she is?”, he asked, rifling off the questions in quick succession, not worrying about any formalities or pleasantries.
“I was in fourth year at Western in Engineering when everything happened. The fourth years don’t really hang out with first years, I’m afraid, so I’m not sure about what happened to her. After first year, everyone lives off campus so I had a house that I rented with a bunch of my friends. After a week, we figured that things weren’t going to get better, so a bunch of us, around twenty or so, decided that we would try walking back to Toronto to be with our families. We knew that the cities wouldn’t be safe so we decided to walk north around the city and try to head home. On the second day of walking, we were walking by a farm when around ten men with guns jumped us, took all our stuff, and marched us onto a farm. The men were part of a group that had broken out of the London jail along with their friends. They had taken over a legal cannabis farm where they grow medical marijuana. They killed everyone there and used us as labor on the farm. They all had military style rifles and Glocks. There were around twenty of them there including the men that took us. They kept the guys and the girls separated. They kept the guys in one warehouse building and the girls in another building. Soon they brought in a second group of kids from Western. It was a bigger group of around forty or so. When they were brought in, the men brought everyone together and separated my friend Irving, and two other guys and, in front of everybody, just shot them in the stomach. The three guys were screaming in pain and the men were just laughing and laughing. Finally, the leader of the men came out with a big knife and sliced the throats of the three guys . He said that this is what would happen to anyone who got out of line. He said that if we did what we were told, nobody else would get hurt and we would all be safe.”, said Stanley, finally stopping to take a drink of water.
“It’s okay, Stanley. Please go on.”, said Gerald to the young man.
“Every day, we would be put to work in the fields, either planting vegetables, getting the rows ready for the marijuana seeds, taking care of the cows, or taking care of the men. Every night we would be locked into our buildings. We know at they were raping some of the girls because we could hear them screaming at night. The men kept patrolling the fields, making sure we were working, or standing watch at the gates during the day. Every few days or so, the leader would come out and randomly slice one guy’s throat. He made some of the guys dig a pit in the far end of the property at first and put the body there. The pit wasn’t filled in. It was left open and when the next guy died, his body was thrown in the pit too. They made the girls cook. We didn’t get much at first, just oatmeal, rice and some other stuff. Later, they took an old truck and came back with a whole lot of canned food, cigarettes, and alcohol. I guess they raided a liquor store and a grocery store. We ate pretty good that night. Some of the men were pretty mean. They would beat up the girls if the men thought they weren’t working hard enough. They would beat up the guys, just for the hell of it. One day, about three weeks in, when some of the men were beating a girl, my friend, Charlie, and I were working close to a fence. The men were distracted, so we decided to make a run for it. We jumped the fence and took off. They saw us and started shooting. They hit Charlie and I saw him go down, but I just kept running. They chased after me for a while, but then just stopped. I kept running and ended up here. That was about two weeks ago.”, said Stanley.
Paul stood up and took out the picture from his pocket. Pointing at Shawna, he asked, “Is she there? Did you see her there? Did you see this girl there?”
Stanley looked at the picture and looked Paul directly in the eye and said, “Yeah, she’s there. I’m sorry.”
Paul’s mind raced. Shawna was alive and she was in trouble. She was being held as a slave and a prisoner by a gang of vicious criminals. Paul’s analytical brain tried to take in all the information he had just received and was craving further data.
“Gerald, do you have a map, some paper, and a pencil? I need to understand what we are dealing with.”, he said without any emotion in his voice.
Gerald went into the house and returned with the items Paul had requested.
“Okay, Stanley. I need your help. I need to understand exactly where this farm is. Can you find it on this map?”, he asked.
Stanley pointed to a location about fifteen kilometers away, north west of Saint Mary’s, Ontario on Perth County Line 8. Paul studied the map carefully. The farm had no access by water and was surrounded by other farms. There was also no natural forests around it so there was no way to access it from any of the sides. There was a small forest about 200 yards in front of it, but that was the only cover available.
“Okay, not take this paper and pencil and map out the farm as it is. Please try to be as detailed as possible in terms of the buildings, fences, fields, the pit, and gates. I know you’ve had some drafting experience from your Engineering classes so I know you’ll do a good job.”, he said to Stanley.
Stanley started sketching out the compound and Paul noticed that the gang had not only taken over a farm but also a small rural elementary school which was next to the farm. The girls were being kept in the rural school house where the cooking was done while the boys were being kept in a storage building on the farm. The main building of the cannibas farm was directly at the front gate and was two stories. This building included a greenhouse and a packaging facility. All the marijuana was kept in the main building and this is also where the men slept. The schoolhouse was locked up at night, as was the storage building. Stanley assumed that the food was kept in the schoolhouse and the cigarettes and alcohol in the main building. Stanley explained that during the day, there were at least six men at the front gate and four sets of two roving guards. He figured that the others were probably sleeping in the main building. Everyone carried a rifle and a Glock except the leader who only carried his big knife. Paul took in all this information like a sponge. Twenty men with guns and a psychotic leader, sixty innocent kids separated into two locations. No cover for a daytime assault from anywhere except the front and even there the second story building was a perfect perch for a sniper. The place was a fortress. There was no way to sneak in and save the kids.
Paul looked at the sketch and let it burn into his memory.
“Thank you Stanley. You have been very helpful.”, said Paul.
“Gerald, Phillip, I want to thank you for your hospitality. Up to two weeks ago, my daughter and a lot of other children were alive. I have to see if there is anything I can so for them. I think it’s time for me to go.”, said Paul with a steely voice.
“I’m coming with you.”, said Carol.
“Guys, can you give us a few moments, please?”, said Paul to Gerald, Phillip, and Stanley.
The three men went into the house leaving Paul and Carol alone.
“I said, I’m coming with you. That wasn’t a request”, said Carol, firmly.
Paul took her hands in his and said softly, “Carol, I need your support now more than ever. I can’t take you with me. These are wicked, psychopathic killers and rapists. If they see us together, they will kill me and take you as a slave. I can’t bear to think of that. I can’t.”
“Yes, they are killers and criminals. If you go alone, they might just kill you on the spot. What would I do without you?”, she said, her voice trembling.
“I know, but I need to go there. If it’s just to give Shawna and the rest of the kids hope. I have to see her for myself. I have to.”, Paul said.
“Don’t you think I need to see her? I need to see her too.”, said Carol, crying.
“I understand but there is something important that I want you to do and you’re the only one who can do it. I want you to take this map and this sketch and go back to the Olster farm with Stanley. From there, I want you to take the bikes and go to the Winters’ farm. They are the only ones who have the necessary firepower to take on this gang. Stanley needs to tell them exactly what he told me. Mark was in law enforcement, he’ll know how to take on these assholes. If they are going to go in with a frontal assault, make sure that they do it in the morning with the sun behind them to blind the men at the gate. Mark needs to know that. But I need you to go. You’re the only one who can get to the Olster farm and then the Winters Farm. I need you to do this for me. Please.”, said Paul.
“Paul, let’s go together. You can come with me and we can bring them back here together. I’m scared Paul. Please come with me.”, said Carol.
“I would, but that would be at least another five days before you get back here. Who knows what those maniacs will do in five days? We can’t risk it.”, said Paul, urgently.
“What if something happens to you? What will I do without you? I can’t lose you too. I’m scared Paul.”, said Carol.
“Carol, look at me. I want you to know this. We have to do this for Shawna and the rest of those kids. If anything happens to me, know that I will be watching over you. You will do what you promised Brad you would do. You’ll survive. For me, for Shawna, for Angie, for Ana, for Brad, for Beth, and for Mark. You have to.”, said Paul with sadness in his eyes.
Carol took a big sigh, the tears were gone and a look of determination came across her face.
“Now you listen to me.”, she said, “You belong to me now. Do you hear me? You’re mine. I saved your life so it belongs to me. You’re mine, do I make myself clear? That means no unnecessary risks and you keep yourself safe at all costs. At all costs! You use that brain of yours and think before you take any action. That means no cowboying and no playing hero! When you get inside, you wait for us. Those are killers in there. You wait for Mark and his team and don’t try anything stupid! We are going to finish this and we are going to be together. We are going to be together, god dammit!”
Carol cried on Paul’s shoulder as he held her.
After their discussion, Paul and Carol went into the house and told Gerald, Phillip, and Stanley their plan.
Stanley agreed to go with Carol and Phillip offered to use the horses and buckboard to take Carol and Phillip to the Olster farm. Paul took the shoulder holster with the Glock and the extra ammunition and gave it to Stanley, telling him to keep Carol safe.
As the sun was setting, each went their separate ways. Carol, Stanley, and Phillip headed east on the buckboard with Rex.
Paul started walking west with his trusty walking stick, alone.
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Post by texican on Apr 17, 2018 14:42:54 GMT -6
A,
Thanks for the chapter....
A raid is coming to wipe out the scum....
Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Apr 17, 2018 15:50:21 GMT -6
Very interesting book, accountant. I cannot imagine it being much different than that if all technology and law ended over night. Seems almost a little too real. This is supposed to be a fiction site, damit.
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Post by 9idrr on Apr 17, 2018 18:20:11 GMT -6
Thanks. Always glad to see more of this one.
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Post by accountant on Apr 18, 2018 8:19:36 GMT -6
Thank you everyone. I'm glad you are enjoying the read. And Forth, I'm an accountant. Of course it's realistic. We aren't known to be too imaginative. BTW, for those of you reading, I apologize for the spelling and grammar errors. I know it breaks the flow of the story when you read "do" and it obviously should say "so" or "archipelago". When the muses attack, I can barely hang onto the keyboard and keep up. A.
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Post by accountant on Apr 18, 2018 10:13:51 GMT -6
Loneliness, despair, hope, serenity, understanding, gratitude, and first contact, all in one chapter.
A.
Chapter 43
Paul walked through the night.
He realized that he was truly alone for the first time since the night that the gang attacked his community. It seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had happened since those four days spent shivering in the ravine. He had been broken, both physically and emotionally, and he had been healed. He had lost friends and he had made new ones. He had lost his will to live and had found a new purpose for his life. But perhaps, most importantly, he had found a possible link to Shawna.
As he walked, the night was silent with no wind, as if nature was holding its breath to see what would happen. The only sounds were his footsteps and the click of his walking stick on the asphalt.
His mind continued to work on the problem as he walked. There were just too many variables to consider and too many possible outcomes. Should he arrive in the middle of the night or wait until daybreak. Would he be able to convince them to let him in or kill him on the spot? Would they be on alert for an attack after he showed up? Would Carol be able to get Mark to agree to come? Would he be able to bring enough people to come with him? How long would it take for them to arrive? Would he be able to stay alive until they came?
Paul’s mind began to reel. Too many thoughts, too many calculations, too many possibilities for failure. Was it all for nothing? Was it a lost cause? Should he have gone with Carol? Would it have been better if he had just turned around and headed back to the Dixon farm? Was Shawna lost forever? Was he walking to his death? Despair began to slowly creep into his brain.
Miserable, he continued on, taking one step and then another. He had made the decision and chosen his path. He was going to die alone.
Alone.
The word tore at his brain and squeezed his heart with its icy cold fingers. Alone.
He was going to live the ultimate failure. He was going to be alone when he died.
Alone.
There would be no help for him. Those murderers were going to slash him to pieces and make him die a painful death. He would be no match for them.
He walked along with those thoughts of hopelessness when he heard it. At first, it was one call, then another, then a whole host of wolves joined in and howled out into the night.
Paul was not alone. It was as if the wolves were his brothers and sisters reaching out to him. They were there in the darkness, giving him reassurance that he was not alone. It was as if they were reminding him that he was part of the pack, always was, and always would be. They gave him the strength he needed to fight against the despair. He had a mission to complete and he would not fail. Even if they did not know it, all those kids were waiting for him to save them. He would not and could not fail them.
The rest of the walk felt effortless after that. Paul reached a point a kilometer away from the main gate and walked into a strand of trees. It was still dark and so he rested and cleared his mind. He sat there in the middle of the trees, and calmly sat, communing with the natural world all around him. He looked up at the stars twinkling above him. In one sense, he felt so small compared to the vastness of the universe. But at the same time, an understanding came to him that life was all about the connections that were made. Every connection was important. Every decision made, every action taken or not taken could have an effect on another living creature and through them on the universe as a whole. Positive actions and decisions could send ripples of positivity through the universe. Actions and decisions based on fear and negative thoughts spread out negativity and pain through the cosmos.
Paul sat like that until the sun rose. He listened to the birds chirping in the trees and early morning forest creature rustling in the underbrush. Standing, he silently thanked God for sending the wolf pack to help him. He was thankful to God for being there with him and showing him the impact that one life makes. Paul showed his gratitude by breaking off half of his breakfast granola bar, crumbing it in his fingers and spreading it out on the forest floor for the animals of the forest to share.
Grabbing his pack and his stick, Paul started the walk down the last kilometer towards the gate and his destination.
When he was close to the farm, Paul slowed his steps and hid the serenity behind his eyes. He could make out the eight men standing there with rifles, watching him as he approached.
When he was twenty feet away from the gate, one man called out to him.
“Hey you, what are you doing here? What do you want?”, he asked.
“I’m just a traveller. I was hoping to get a meal.”, Paul replied.
“We don’t have any extra food for travellers.”, said the man.
“I don’t mind working for it.”, said Paul.
“What kind of work did you do before?”, asked the man with a sneer on his face.
“I was an accountant before, but I can help out with any kind of farm work.”, said Paul.
“An accountant eh?”, said the man with a chuckle and yelled to the other men at the gate, “Hey guys, we’ve got an accountant here. Anybody need their taxes done? Anybody?”
The remark brought out laughter from the rest of the men.
“Well accountant, it looks like we won’t be needing your tax services today. But I tell you what, you made me laugh and for that I’m going to give you an opportunity to earn that meal you were begging for. Come on over here.”, said the man, scratching the scruffy beard on his neck with a handful of dirty fingernails.
Paul started walking towards the man and said, “I can pull weeds, plant seeds, dig, whatever you need me to do.”
“Well accountant, we’ve got all the farm labor we need right now, so I’ll make you a deal. All you have to do is stand here on your feet for five minutes, and we’ll get you that meal. Hey guys, let’s gather around and watch the accountant stay standing for five minutes. What do you say?”, said the man.
The men all surrounded Paul as he stood. The smell of weed permeated from each and every one of the men. The first man looked at an old watch on his wrist and said “Okay, your time starts now. Just stay up for five minutes.”
Paul saw the evil grins on the men around him. He knew what was coming, but there was nothing he could do about it.
The first push came and the accompanying laugh. Then another, this time a little harder. Paul stayed up. The a hard push from the side. Then the punch to the stomach. Thankfully, he still had his walking stick.
“Only four more minutes, accountant. Just hang on!”, said the instigator.
Another push and another push. Then the spinning. They all laughed as if this was the funniest thing they had ever seen.
“Two more minutes left. Come on, accountant, you can do it!”
The men were all hooting now enjoying and participating in the game. Soon kicks and more punches were added to the mix. Paul couldn’t take it any longer and finally fell down into the gravel of the driveway.
The game planner stood over Paul and said, “Aww too bad, accountant. Another half minute and you would’ve gotten that meal.”
The man kicked Paul one more time and let out a belly laugh.
A voice called out from the second floor window of the main building and said “Send him on up here.” It was a calm voice, but Paul could tell that it commanded attention when it spoke.
The laughter in the crowd died down and Paul was roughly brought to his feet. He was taken into the farm past the gate. Paul couldn’t see the rest of the farm past the main building, but he noticed a group of young men being led out of another building off to the side by armed men. He was led into the main building. There was the typical reception area with a door leading into the rest of the building and an open staircase leading to the second floor. Paul was taken up the stairs to the second floor. The higher floor was set up with a small open area consisting of a few cubicles, and three closed door offices.
Paul was led to the corner office. There, sitting behind a desk, sat the largest man Paul had ever seen. He looked to be close to 300 pounds with thick arms covered with tattoos, broad chest, and a thick neck which also had tattoos on it. The man had close cropped hair, and a face which had recently been shaved exposing a large scar on his left cheek.
The man studied Paul carefully before saying, “I hope the guys didn’t treat you too badly. They were just having a little fun. Laughter is such a rare commodity these days, you understand.”
“No, I’m okay.”, said Paul.
“Where are you headed?”
“Nowhere in particular”, replied Paul, “I’m just walking west, hoping to land somewhere.”
“Where are you coming from?”, asked the man, continuing to study Paul.
“I was living in Brampton before. My wife and daughter were both in Toronto and I lost them on the day.”, replied Paul.
“How come you are all the way up here? Why didn’t you head west through Mississauga, Oakville, and Milton?”, asked the man.
“I knew that there would be looting and gangs in the cities, so I figured it would be safer to head west through the countryside.”, said Paul.
“Brampton’s pretty far away. You made it this far on your own? Have any trouble along the way?”, asked the man suspiciously.
“Yeah, it was easier to travel alone. I didn’t have to worry about anyone else. I did have some trouble with some rednecks up by Crewson’s Corners. They took all my food. I managed though.”, said Paul, hoping he would seem sincere.
“Where’s your gun?”, asked the man.
“I don’t like guns so I don’t have one.”, replied Paul, somewhat honestly.
“What about protection?”, asked the man.
“For animals, I’ve got my walking stick and a bottle of hot sauce. That seemed to work. And as for people, I’m brown with glasses, 5’10”, and 150 pounds now so I’m not much of a threat to anybody. Hell, I made it this far.”, said Paul with a slight smile.
The man smiled and said, “I heard the boys saying that you used to be an accountant. Were you just personal or businesses as well?”
“I was in the business world. My last role was as a controller for the Canadian subsidiary of a US company.”, said Paul.
“What did you in that position, besides prepare the books?”, asked the man, taking a stronger interest in Paul.
“Well, I worked closely with the division heads to make sure that the divisions were running effectively and efficiently. I helped them with forecasting and planning to make sure that they were able to receive enough supplies on time to fulfil their orders so there wouldn’t be a loss of revenue because of supply. I also worked with them to ensure that they had enough people to do the work that needed to be done during the peak seasons. The way I see it, you have to know the business if you are going to be able to understand the numbers that are produced by the business and to make sure it can continue in the long run.”, explained Paul.
“What’s your name?”, asked the man.
“My name is Paul.”, came the answer.
“Well Paul. My name is Terry but my people call me Trigger.”, said the man, smiling, standing, and extending his huge hand. “I think I might have a proposal you’re going to like.”
When he stood up, Paul saw the large bowie knife hanging from his belt. It has fresh bloodstains on it.
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Post by arkansascob on Apr 18, 2018 10:15:12 GMT -6
Going to get intresting. Sure hope Paul keeps his cool and his wits about him.
COB
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Post by 2t2crash on Apr 18, 2018 11:12:07 GMT -6
I'm really enjoying this, keep it up!
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Post by papaof2 on Apr 18, 2018 16:46:40 GMT -6
Nice landing in the middle of the information flow ;-)
That was one of the possibilities I saw IF the boss was smart enough to see it. The other possibilities had already gone through Paul's mind.
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Post by texican on Apr 18, 2018 18:47:01 GMT -6
A,
Paul is inside the pit....
Now, he has to remember not to loose it when he sees and meets Shawana....
Texican....
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Post by accountant on Apr 19, 2018 9:34:42 GMT -6
Just a quick one to whet your whistle.
Chapter 44
Paul shook Trigger’s hand.
“Have a seat and let’s talk some more. Actually, you’re probably hungry. Let me get you some food while we talk.”, said Trigger.
“Send a plate of food up here and something to drink.”, he yelled down.
“Why didn’t you fight back when the guys attacked you?”, he asked Paul.
“I’m an accountant. I calculated the odds. I knew that I didn’t have a chance if I took a swing at anyone. I was just hoping that they would just push me around a little and then let me go after they finished playing with me.”, replied Paul.
“I see. Paul, I have a problem.”, said Trigger, “As you’re probably aware by now, this is a weed operations. It used to be for medical weed before the day. Now it’s ours. Me and the boys took it over and secured it but I want more than that. I want to make sure it runs properly. What do you think?”
Paul thought quickly about what he was asking. This wasn’t just a casual conversation. This was a business development meeting and a job interview all rolled into one.
“Well in my mind, it looks like you have a golden opportunity here. Now that there aren’t any trucks coming or going, addicts in the cities won’t be able get their fixes any more. The ones who survived anyways. Once word gets out that you have weed, you’ll have a lineup out your front gate and down the road of every pot head who is willing to sell his mother for another hit. It’s a guaranteed revenue stream as long as you have product. You can be paid in food, seed, Livestock, weapons, tools, anything of value, as well as human labor. I don’t know how much you have in inventory ready to go, but the secret will be sustaining the operation for the long term. As long as you manage your inputs like seed, fertilizer, labor, and drying processes properly, you could keep the operation going indefinitely.”, said Paul, carefully.
“And what do you think about the long term prospects for our little group?”, asked Trigger.
“I think over time, there is the potential to broaden the business into other commodities which would be needed in this new world. I could you branching out into prostitution, alcohol production, gambling houses, subcontracting manual labor to farmers, and protection services at the start. People will need things to live and you will have it. Eventually, your group could be in complete control of the local economy, once a local currency gets set up, and charge a tax to everyone in it who is producing anything. You could literally make yourself king with your own army.”, said Paul, playing to Trigger’s greed.
Just then a man came in with a plate of pancakes, a fruit cup, and a can of orange soda and put it on the desk.
“This is for you. Help yourself.”, said Trigger.
Paul dug into the meal pretending to be someone who hadn’t eaten in days.
“Like I said, I have a problem. My boys can provide security and run the sales side of things here, but none of us are experts on running the day to day operations of the. The boys would burn through what we have and not even think about what happens next. I want to keep this place going. That’s where you come in. I need someone who thinks of this place like a business, someone who can keep this place running.”, said Trigger.
“So you want me to be your operations manager?”, asked Paul.
Trigger laughed, “I guess I do. Yes, I want you to be my operations manager.”
“Okay, what do I get in return?”, said Paul cautiously.
Trigger smiled and there was a gleam in his eyes. “I like you, Paul. You’re a true businessman, looking out for number one. I can appreciate that. Okay, here’s the deal. You work for me and you get all the food you can eat, booze, smokes, and tokes, a roof over your head, and a safe place to live. I’ll give you a portion of all our takes, and I’ll even let you have a girl or two when you want it, or a guy, I don’t care, provided they aren’t already claimed of course.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”, asked Paul, feinting cautiousness.
“You can’t, Just like I don’t know if I can trust you. But I can tell you this, by giving me as much information as you just have, you’ve earned that meal you ate. So if you aren’t the right guy for the job, you can be on your way with no hard feelings and I’ll look out for someone else who can help me.”, replied Trigger.
“Well, I was never much of a smoker and I like to keep my head clear so you can keep the weed, but I do like a sip of single malt whiskey so I appreciate that. I’ll have to do a full audit of the operations and review everything you have on the farm. If I find deficiencies, I hope I can count on you to fill them. I do have one other condition, though.” risked Paul.
“Really, what’s that?”, asked Trigger.
“That jackass who was playing with me. I want him to be given three days worth of food and sent on his way. When they were pushing me around, I could have easily taken one of their guns and taken a few of the men out. I would have been dead, but you would have lost at least three men. It was just stupid.”, replied Paul.
Trigger laughed, and stood. “Come on, let’s go down and tell the guys about you.”
Paul followed the large man out of the office and down the stairs to the gate.
“Guys, gather around, I’ve got some good news.”, said Trigger to the men at the gate.
When the men had all joined him, he continued, smiling, “You’ve all met Paul. He’s going to joining our group. He’s going to be in charge of making sure the operations of this farm are run properly so make sure he feels welcome and give him the run of the place.”
Walking over to the man who has started the game with Paul, he put his left hand around him.
Chuckling, Trigger said, “He did have one condition though. He said he would join us if Jimmy here was given three days of food and kicked out. Can you believe that?”, He laughed and all the men laughed along with him, including Jimmy.
Out of nowhere, the bowie knife appeared in Trigger’s hand and sliced a line across Jimmy’s throat.
Gurgling, Jimmy grabbed his throat and fell to the ground.
Looking directly at Paul, Trigger said coldly, “We don’t feed the dead.”
“Jas, get a couple of the lads to take him to the pit. Rico, show the accountant here where he can stow his stuff and show him around the place. He can take Jimmy’s bunk.”, said Trigger as he casually walked back into the building.
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Post by forthteller on Apr 19, 2018 15:06:17 GMT -6
Getting pretty real here, Mr Accountant. That Trigger was probably a murderer before the end but he has no law to curtail his murderous desires. I wonder how much of that would actually happen. We get glimpses now during riots and so called demonstrations. Looting and public destruction of property and violence while they wear masks in an anonymous environment. I think you are spot on with what is going to happen once law and order is gone.
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Post by forthteller on Apr 19, 2018 15:08:09 GMT -6
One other point. How do you write so fast? 3 chapters in 2 days. I can barely read that fast.
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Post by texican on Apr 19, 2018 16:41:57 GMT -6
A,
You do not want to piss off Trigger....
Now does Trigger now have 9 guys including Trigger? ? ? ?
Thanks for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Apr 19, 2018 17:49:59 GMT -6
Getting pretty real here, Mr Accountant. That Trigger was probably a murderer before the end but he has no law to curtail his murderous desires. I wonder how much of that would actually happen. We get glimpses now during riots and so called demonstrations. Looting and public destruction of property and violence while they wear masks in an anonymous environment. I think you are spot on with what is going to happen once law and order is gone. I think that some people don't believe that civilization's veneer is as thin as it actually is. I didn't get a lot of feedback on "Jack's War" but there were readers who were upset by the events depicted. When people with Trigger's "life is cheap" outlook have a little power, those under his control can be used in any manner he chooses or allows his underlings to choose. Different place and actions but no difference in the intent to control others and use them. Didn't the US just have someone in the FBI say he could read Trump's "intent"? Sounds like the same type of control freaks to me... I have a drastic solution to the "marches", sports game "celebrations" and similar events that end in broken windows, looted stores and burning cars. That solution follows the gentle solution for the more squeamish - if your location has enough animal control officers and tranquilizer guns, just knock out the masked ones so they can be identified. The "Phth" of an air rifle wouldn't be noticed in the screaming mob - just that people were going down everywhere. That's a temporary solution. The permanent solution is tripod mounted .50 caliber machine guns aimed six inches above the pavement. ONE warning and start taking them down at the ankles at the first broken window. One pass across the crowd and those in front two or three rows are on the pavement unable to walk. Barbaric? No more so than the out-of-control people in masks - masked because they plan to do illegal things and don't want to be recognized on all the surveillance cameras.
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Post by accountant on Apr 20, 2018 8:24:29 GMT -6
Hi all,
I am so glad so many people are getting into this story.
I just want to provide some clarification for some of the items posted above:
Texican, I'm glad you are keeping count, but you have to remember that Stanley said there were around twenty men in Trigger's group and the ones we have met so far are only the ones at the front gate. Stanley mentioned that some would be watching over the kids working in the fields. Don't worry, they have all been accounted for and you will notice them in later chapters.
Forthteller, you wondered if this could actually happen. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happened recently and not just where the governments of banana republics fell. If you remember the fall of the Yugoslavia and the regional wars that followed during the 1990's, local warlords seized control over their areas and committed exactly these kinds of atrocities because there was no law and order. Could it happen again? History has a way of repeating itself until we finally get it right.
And as to your question concerning how fast I write, I have what would be considered an addictive personality so it is either writing or heroin.
Papaof2, I agree with you that society's veneer is thin. I have already spoken of this in other posts relating to the indoctrination of an "us" vs. "them" mindset in our youth. I know that our countries will descend into the chaos necessary for, let's just call them individuals and groups with opportunistic thinking, to take control as soon as one block in the Jenga tower slips. That being said, the eternal optimist in me also knows that there will be good people around to provide safety and protection for those fleeing the evil ones.
Just on a side note, lately I've had the song 'Silent Running" by Mike and the Mechanics stuck in my head. it came out in the 80's. It mentions a war, breakdown of society, oppression by leaders, hiding your true feelings or you would be punished, and being prepared. I think it kind of fits with what is happening in today's world.
K...just some random thoughts.
A.
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Post by accountant on Apr 20, 2018 8:46:05 GMT -6
Chapter 45
Rico was a young man in his late twenties, slim, and not much taller than Paul. He had the requisite tattoos on his arms and was pleasant with Paul. He took Paul into the main building and showed him the facility. There was the main warehouse area with marijuana packed into plastic containers on warehouse shelving. On the other side was a packaging area with tables which had been used to weigh and measure the dried plant. Against one wall, Paul could see where bottles of alcohol and cases of cigarettes were being kept. Behind it all was the shipping and receiving area which had been converted into sleeping quarters for the men as cots were laid out in rows. A few of the cots had men sleeping in them.
“This is your cot now.”, said Rico as he stopped at a cot. The cot held a pillow and blanket which had seen better days.
“Sorry, that’s all we’ve got right now.”, said Rico, apologetically.
“That’s okay.”, said Paul, ”I’ve slept in worse.”
He put down his pack and checked the firmness of the cot.
“You don’t have a gun? Everybody has a gun here.”, said Rico.
“Nope, I don’t like them.”, said Paul.
“That’s cool. You won’t need one in here. We just have them ‘cause they’re cool.”, said Rico with a smile.
“Shut the hell up, Rico!”, came a voice from under one of the cots, “We’re trying to sleep, goddammit!”
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”, whispered Rico.
Rico led Paul out of the warehouse through a back door that led into the greenhouse.
“This is where the magic happens”, said Rico, smiling, with his arms spread out.
The greenhouse was filled with marijuana plants at different stages of development. There were smaller starter plants at the front, mid-size plants in the center, and fully mature plants at the far end of the building. Along the walls, there were tables with pails of dirt, chemical, and hand tools. Paul saw eight young university aged boys working in the greenhouse, watering plants, and trimming them.There were also two men watching over them.
“Who are they?”, asked Paul, innocently, nodding towards the boys.
“Those are some of the boys we have as workers here.”, replied Rico, still smiling, “They take care of the plants and we take care of them.”
‘What do you do for water?”, asked Paul.
“The farm has a well. The boys pull water from it in buckets. There’s a bathroom in the warehouse that we use that has buckets of water ready and if we need more, we just get the boys to bring it.”, said Rico.
Rico walked Paul out the back of the greenhouse to where the fields were.
“Here we have the fields where we are planting seeds to grow more weed and we have also planted some vegetable seeds so that we can have fresh veggies for ourselves.”, explained Rico.
Paul saw another twenty boys working in the fields and tending to a small herd of cows. He also saw four men walking the fields with their rifles drawn.
‘I saw where the men sleep, where do the workers sleep?”, asked Paul.
“There’s a storage building that we use for them. It’s all good.”, said Rico,smiling.
“Do you want to see the pit?”, asked Rico, excitedly.
“Umm…okay.”, said Paul.
Rico led Paul to the back area of the field where a large pit had been dug. The smell reached Paul’s nose before he looked over the edge. In the pit were at least a dozen bodies of men, women, and boys in various stages of decomposition. Paul looked frantically for any sign of Shawna among the dead, but couldn’t find her. Paul could see where some wild animals had torn off section of some of the flesh from the bodies.
Paul dry heaved and quickly turned away from the pit.
Rico laughed, “Yeah, that’s the reaction of most people when they see the pit. Okay, I’ve had my fun, let’s get out of here.”
Paul was queasy as Rico led him away from the pit.
“Where do you cook the food?”, he asked after a while.
“There’s a kitchen in the schoolhouse. That’s where the food gets made. It’s almost lunch time. They’ll be bringing it out pretty soon. Come on, let’s head back.”, said Rico as he walked back to the gate.
The two men reached the front gate as eight girls were bringing plates of chili and cans of Coke to the reception area of the main building. Shawna wasn’t one of them.
Paul followed Rico into the building and grabbed a plate from the reception desk. He sat down on one of the reception chairs next to Rico and ate wondering what the kids would be eating.
“We’ve got a sweet deal here, accountant.”, said Rico, “A roof over our heads, booze, smokes, weed, and sluts. We’re finally living right.”
Paul wanted to smash his plate into Rico’s head and beat him to death. He wanted to take his knife and cut his throat like Trigger had done to Jimmy. He wanted to make them all pay for what they were doing to those kids.
‘Yeah, Trigger mentioned that there were girls here.”, was all he said.
“Yep. What’s your fancy?”, asked Rico.
“I prefer blondes myself.”, said Paul, casually.
“Sorry dude, Trigger already picked all the best blondes and the rest have been claimed by others. You might be able to get a brunette or a chink from one of the other guys though. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind, considering that Trigger said to make you feel welcome.”, said Rico with a smile.
Paul finished his meal and put the plate where he saw others leaving theirs.
“I’m pretty tired. I’ve been up all night and I need to crash for a bit.”, said Paul.
“No problem man. Go ahead back, I’ll see you later.”, said Rico as he took a swig of his Coke.
Paul walked into the warehouse and laid down on his bunk. He closed his eyes and processed everything he had taken in that day. He had made it in. He was still alive. He had seen the farm. He had also seen the callousness and cruelness of the men holding the students prisoner. Mark was still at least four days away if he was coming at all.
He had not seen Shawna.
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Post by arkansascob on Apr 20, 2018 10:22:02 GMT -6
You know what i really like about this story ? It's the realness of it. Maybe it's because Paul doesn't carry a gun and isnt the Rambo type. As I read this story I can almost picture myself or one of my non military friends as Paul. Cept id at least have a gun of some sort.
COB
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