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[Icarry2]

16:15 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

You realize you nodded back off when Trisha picks up the curled up ball on your lap that your youngest has become. You wake, get up, stretch and walk into the kitchen to find that your mess has been completely cleaned up, all but Margret who is still sitting where she was left. Sitting next to her was the white rabbit’s foot key chain.

As you pick up the pistol and again check to make sure she wasn’t loaded you reach back into your pocket and pull out the magazine to check it, 4 rounds left..

Looking over the very old 1911 you notice that there were nicks in the handles, could they be for missions fought, enemy killed, who knows, maybe no one will ever know.. These old war horses fought like animals to survive and folks just don’t understand what they went through, a brotherhood of blood.. Friends came and friends went, brothers of blood exist forever. A memory of a loyalty never understood by civilians. A respect only earned in battle alongside men who volunteered to give the highest sacrifice a person can give for their country to secure their families freedom however screwed up it is, America is still the best country on the planet if the people took back control of their lives things would be as they were supposed to be.

Your oldest comes in from the back room, from outside. Brings you a bag and says, he is getting cold, this is all he had on him. Your shocked that she was strong enough to search the dead body. You thank her and look inside of the bag.

 

[Icarry2]

16:28 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

Sitting down at the desk you flip on the radio and start to code a message for the 16:30 group 45 call. About the time you locate a piece of blank paper and a pencil Trisha comes in and hands you a message that she had already started.

It reads, regarding old man break, condition worsened break, he died break, stored in back shed break, left keys to house break, said take it, it is everything he owns break, only have to sign papers break, three keys break, car key house key and unknown key break, recon to be planned of house break, awaiting further instructions break..

As you read over the message you hear the roll call, you answer, relay your message, write down any replies and sign off the call.

 

[churchmouse]

More please sir.

 

[Glock22c]

Well done sir! Well done! Can't wait for next installment!

 

[Icarry2]

16:35 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

With a deep breath you push the chair back and stand up. You knew what they were going to say. Recon Mr Koontz’s home, buildings and secure his property. Do not move or remove any of it but retrieve the papers for review. A plan to stop by Mr Grey’s house was also on your agenda.

While gathering your coat, hat and gloves your youngest comes in and asks if the old man is in heaven with her Daddy. She hasn’t really spoken of this much and since all of this chaos she seems more accepting of the situation. Even though you call them “your” children the three who live with you are actually Trisha’s and her late ex-husband Will’s children. Although they do not call you “Dad,” or “Father” or any other sort of enduring term, you love them all the same as if they were your own flesh and blood. To them you are “Trey” or “Mom’s Husband” which is fine because you never have considered replacing their father.

The oldest, Mary is 17, mature and strong but still a bit emotional from time to time. The middle one, William is 14 and a very ingenious young man with a natural talent for shooting and he is a very quick study of anything outdoors. The youngest, Shelly is a very mature and creative 11 year old that surprises everyone with her musical talents and is always entertaining and upbeat.

You do have two children from your first marriage. Your first ex-wife Kay had a son from a previous relationship whom you adopted when he was just shy of 4. Carl now 22 has fought with demons but is now on the straight and narrow working a full time job digging himself out of all the debt that his problems created for him. He works hard, something he learned from you, trying to get on track and start his own family. Your first ex bore you a daughter Annie who is 15 going on 25.. She still lives with Kay while Carl is crashing with Kay’s parents. Carl and Kay had things explode some time ago..

Your family is large, complicated and at the present time spread out over almost a hundred miles. You have had to put those who have chosen to not be with you out of your mind hoping that those whom are responsible for them are keeping them safe and warm as the temps drop into the mid 20’s. You know your kids can always crash at the family farm still maintained by your parents Ray and Kathy. The kids would be safe there because even though Ray will deny it he is a prepper of sorts. Rural life makes a person more self sufficient in general then those who live in incorporated areas with provided utilities..

Trisha helps you put your “man scarf” as she calls it on and wraps it over and around your head before you head out. She hands you Margret and the rabbit’s foot key chain. “Come home safe baby” she expresses as she kisses you. You hug her, tell her you love her and tell them all you will be back as soon as you can.

 

[Icarry2]

16:57 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

The dusting of snow that has began again is peaceful even in this chaos. A light dusting snow is covering everything and making it all sort of blend together, a white camouflage if you will. You have made your way to the cul de sac, to Mr Koontz’s house. No one is out, everything is quiet, no tracks means that most everyone has kept inside as the TV and radio instructed. You walk up on to the porch of Mr. Koontz’s house, open the door with the key on the key chain and walk into what from the outside looks like a normal two story colonial home.

Once you close the door you realize that this recluse of a man has must have been a pupil of war for some time. His home could be considered a museum of military artifacts. Old pictures, books, weapons, uniforms, manuals all adorn his abode. All but the parlor or tea room as some call the room just to the right of the foyer. It is oddly bare, plain walls, a plain set of old world chairs and a small set of tables along with a china cabinet full of what looks to be antique tea sets and solid silver accents and utensils.

Just as you finish your look into the parlor you hear a noise.. Once again your training which tells you to not let your guard down has not kept your senses keenly sharpened to your surroundings.

You uncover and pull your Ruger, “click” is the only sound you hear as the safety has been taken off, the noise was coming from the back of the house. Off the foyer to the left was the study, war room, directly across from the door was a great room and as you step down into the sunken living room you see a glimps of movement in the kitchen straight through the house to the rear.

As you pie the corner into the kitchen there standing in the middle of the cooks triangle is a pair of dogs.. At first they are just as scared of you as you are of them. Then the larger one turns, faces you and gives a little gruff of a bark as if to say “who the heck are you” “stop right there” The smaller of the two walks behind the larger as if taking shelter from you. Your faced with a decision, strike first or wait. You decide to wait. You instinctively drop to one knee and make a kissing sound reaching out with your weak side hand, palm down to allow the dogs to smell you. The larger of the two slowly walks over to you, sniffs your hand and then walks in tight to rub on you as if to ask for a good rub behind the ears.. As you holster your Ruger the smaller of the two, the more timid one comes close enough to catch a good whiff of you.

As you pet the larger male you notice his collar, The tag hanging along side the required rabies tag says Rocky.. You say “hi Rocky” and you ask him as if he would answer you “who is your lady friend over there” to which he some how understands and looks at the smaller female and instinctively give her the nod of approval to come closer. You figure she will come to you whenever she feels like it.

You then find yourself asking the dogs questions.. Questions like “is there anyone else in the house?” Where are the “papers” you were looking for, etc.

About the time you scan around the kitchen you hear the female whining and looking out the back sliding glass door to the back porch, a nice screened in porch about half the size of the kitchen. You can tell the sliding glass door wasn’t part of the original home, added for heat conservation more then likely and opening up the kitchen to a better view of the large back yard.

It dons on you, they need to go out.. You walk to the door, scan the porch, nothing to worry there, then as you look out the back French doors you spot a person walking across the back yard from right to left. The person is on the back side of the small fenced area you figure is set for the digs. You unlock and slide the door open and are surprised at how warm the porch is. You walk towards the French doors that allow access to the back yard sitting area when Rocky notices the person walking. He growls and runs up to the doors wanting to protect the property from whomever.

You calm the dog with a “good boy” pat on the head and wait for the walker to go out of sight to prevent a commotion, low profile right now is the best OPSEC keyt you can think of..

As the dogs return from their business you walk back into the open kitchen and scan for the papers Mr Koontz had spoken of.

Sure enough on the dining room table there are papers all set out and an instruction note on the top. It reads..

“If you find this note then I am gone, gone to be with those who I have loved and lost and to sit and visit with the brothers I have bled with while fishing on the bank of a magnificent river… Read and sign all of the documents where the indicators are, it’s what my lawyer told me to have ready incase I passed. Whomever signs these documents will be entitled to my legacy to do with whatever they desire other then what is described in the papers. I have no children to hand the property, money and possessions to as my dearest Ethel was unable to bare children.

Do good by what you are given. Do better to stay in the hearts and minds of those who you hold dear, coming from a man who knows what life is without children or family is more important then you may understand..

Signed,

Herbert Michael Koontz”

As you gather the papers and put them in a folder sitting empty next to them you realize there is a deed to his property, the title to his Dodge and a bank statement from the largest bank in town and just out of curiosity you scan for the balance as you place it in the folder, as you spot the figure you just about gulp a breath.. The old guy was a millionaire.. The balance showed as $1,356,768.34 as of that statement which is a month old.

Who knows what the account is really worth now with everything that has happened. Regardless you throw the papers in the folder an decide it’s time to see about feeding these dogs and checking out the rest of the house for security.

 

[Lead Head]

As much as I appreciate creative writing, all I want to do IN THE NEXT 5 MINUTES is either burn this cheap shoulder rig I'm wearing or buck up and spend some real greenbacks on a nice rig like this one.

Andrews Custom Leather

 

[Icarry2]

Sorry for your frustration Lead Head, my Daddy always taught me to buy quality and you only have to buy it once..

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming..

 

[Icarry2]

18:00 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

It’s dark when you decide you better get moving, on to see Mr Grey and then home. As you have fed the dogs, gave them water, let them out, given them their vitamins and pet them as the instructions stated you figure that they will be the best security for the house and you can tend to them.

You pile some more blankets in their bed area incase the temp drops too far. At this point you can’t take them home, animals have always been up to a vote in your house. Then responsibility for taking care of them, etc. Maybe tomorrow you will come get them and move them to your house but first you have to get the family to ok the move.

 

[Icarry2]

18:20 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

You shuffle out the front of Mr Koontz’s house locking the door behind you, the pour dogs wanted to come too. You told them you will be back, guard the house..

As you walk over to Mr Grey’s house you figure it’s time to ask him what was the beef between him and Mr Koontz..

As you step on the porch you see Mr Grey opening the door. “Howdy Trey, what did the old coot leave?” As you walk in and the door is shut you show him the pile of papers, the folder and state that you will look them over and let the group know but from what you scanned it’s the deed and title to the house, title to the car and banking info along with a copy of this will. Nothing to do but hold on to them for now until the world straightens out.

As you follow Mr Grey into the wood shop you see he is almost done with the fancy table and chairs. You ask the old guy, “don’t you sleep?” to which he relies not much, but enough is hi reply.

You explain that you need to head home and get settled in for the night, run the Genny and fire up some hot water so you can get a shower.

Mr Grey seemingly agitated brushes you off saying you know your way out, pull the door shut and I will be along in a minute to lock it behind you. You shrug, say adios and head for home.

 

[churchmouse]

I think a deeper reckon of the old boys house would be in order but that is only me thinking out loud. You are doing great.
More please sir.

 

[Glock22c]

More please?

 

[ralphb72]

Sorry for your frustration Lead Head, my Daddy always taught me to buy quality and you only have to buy it once..

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming..

The only two things my daddy ever taught me is that the gun is always loaded, he did this by taking out 1 more bullet from a 22 I loaded then what I had put in.

The other is what the meaning of "True blonde" is. Unfortunately, he explained that one two me while standing right next to my blond girlfriend at the time.

Nice story here though, I'll keep reading and THANK YOU!

 

[Icarry2]

18:40 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

You arrive home to a wonderful hug from Trisha and the kids. You take your heavy clothes and boots off and sit down at the radio desk to code a message about the papers and then decode the response. “Evaluate and report back” is the general consensus, sort of a no brainer..

Your tired, your hungry and your just wanting it to all be ok when you decide to get up and check the genny and get things done before bed.

As you go walk through your kitchen you see a steaming bowl of beans and a plate of fresh cornbread, as you inhale the delightful smells of the food you realize you have been in the house for about 20 minutes and didn’t smell the food.. Your slipping, allowing your mind to over ride your senses.. Your spent.. Time to recharge and get straight for tomorrows unknown.

As you finish the food and use that last saved piece of cornbread to sop up the bowl, something your father taught you. With your belly full you decide to make your way to the garage to check the genny and fire it up to pump and heat water, cool the fridge and freezer even though you consider just putting the frozen stuff outside except it wouldn’t be safe from animals or secure from others and food will probably get short real fast for those caught unprepared especially if this chaos continues for very long.

As you go to leave the kitchen you hear the faint hum of the generator, Mary explains the water is almost hot and that you can go relax and wait for it.

You are so lucky that you have a family that has learned how to take care of themselves and each other. Your blessed with well mannered, well behaved kids and even though they are not you blood your proud of them just the same.

 

[Icarry2]

19:35 Day 4

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

As you sit and read by lantern light the papers you brought from Mr Koontz’s house Trisha comes to check on you an make sure your not face down asleep sitting at the desk..

Mr Koontz’s will has a list of charities and amounts he would like given to them in his late wifes name. Evidently most of the fortune was his late wifes, a family trust left to her and since they had no heirs to hand the sizable fortune to they wanted it to go to charity, or at least a portion of it.

The will also stated that Ethel wanted all of her tea sets to go to the ladies of the Red Hat Society since she had found friendship with the ladies of the society and felt that they would take care of the old china.

Herbert had wanted all of his world war two relics to go to the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center trust to be either put on display if they fit the needs of the curators or to be sold at auction and the proceeds to be used to fund the education of others about the survivors of the holocaust. This part was odd because it had a single price associated as a “buy out” for the old relics. For one rather large donation a collector could assume the rights of the collection. There were two and a half pages of line items associated with just this collection.

Herbert also was an avid hunter, and collector of post war time and modern firearms. A complete listing of all weapons, accessories, ammunition and the like was listed and the combination to his safes were also written down on the papers along with a detailed inventory of which items were in which of the 5 safes listed.

The house and it’s contents were to be sold at action and the proceeds were to be given to the list of charities in a particular order of percentages. The largest of which was the National Adoption Day Coalition to help families adopt children deserving of good homes.

After about an hour of reading your body starts shutting down, you need rest, you need sleep. You decide to lock up the files in your bedroom fire safe and go to sleep. As you look at your watch 20:43 and realize you’re the only one awake anyway. You check the perimeter, stoke the fire and throw a log on to get you through till morning and climb in bed next to your beautiful wife to fall asleep. You giggle to yourself as you realize that she now, “all of a sudden” likes to wear flannel PJ’s to bed when before the chaos started you couldn’t get her to sleep with clothes on in general.

 

[Icarry2]

04:35 Day 5

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

The flashback nightmare you were having wakes you. You realize your soaking wet with sweat and shivering because your house is cold. You get up, change into dry day clothes and hang your PJ’s up to dry. Your lovely wife Trish is cuddled up butt towards your side of the bed hogging all of the covers.. Nothing unusual about that..

You decide to stoke the fire, fire the genny and get the house ready for the day.

As you walk into the living room you decide to peek out the front door. It is still dark and there isn’t hardly any light from houses or other sources that usually made the area look about as lit as it will in a couple of hours just before dawn when it is light enough to see.

Snow, you think to yourself, more snow. Looks to be about 6 inches worth sitting on your truck. No snow plows or city trucks clearing roadway today..

You stoke the fire, add another log and fill the tea pot to sit on the stove to get water going for coffee. Have to have coffee.. Coffee is life..

You walk through the kitchen and out the back room to the garage. Check the oil, top off the fuel, make sure the fuel valve is on, make sure the breakers are open, and give the starter a pull. The genny purrs to life.. You close the main breaker and return to the house. As you walk by the small chest freezer you notice it’s power light on and its compressor kicks on.

You walk into the kitchen and check the fridge, it is running. Some of the ice in the ice maker thawed so you emptied it and shut off the water source.

You decide that the temperature of your bedroom being 56 means you better shut off the water lines that feed the small half bath off your bedroom and that you should drain the toilet as best you can. If it turns colder you won’t be able to keep the lines going to that bathroom from freezing as you know they go under the crawlspace portion of the house.

You go to the basement and check the breakers for the water heater and water pump. Your genny can’t handle both. First you pump the system up to pressure and then you heat the water in the tank. You tried both but the start current of the pump won’t handle the load if the freezer and fridge are running. Once they get cooled off then you can run both the water heater and the pump..

You check things to make sure the basement isn’t too cold. The thermometer by the water system shows 62. Time to fire up the wood stove in the basement to keep the area warm.

You uncover the pre-stacked fire wood you have sitting next to your furnace fuel oil tank and find some smaller pieces to make your fire. You decide to try and go old school an retrieve a ferro rod from your gear stashed down in the basement.

You shave some kindling into a pile using your trusty pocket knife, walk over to the laundry area of the basement and dig a handful of dryer lint out of the waste basket that is about half full of lint, dryer sheets and broken hangers.. Hate those cheap plastic hangers..

You return to the stove, check the flue, open the damper, pile in your nest and lint and cove it all with some splinters of wood you pulled off the logs and prepare to make fire..

The first pull of the rod yielded only a few sparks, they burnt out before they hit the lint. The second pull showered the lint with sparks and with a little puffing you had started a fire.. You grunted as the old tool man did on TV “AR AR AR” if nothing else you gave yourself a laugh.

Once the first log caught you and you knew you were good then you shut the door to the stove and made your way upstairs. Coffee water should be hot now.

 

[Icarry2]

06:45 Day 5

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

You decided to turn on the radio and check in. The role call starts, Mr Red , is on line - Mr White, is not on line - Mr Yellow, is on line - Mr Blue, is on line - Mr Purple is not on line - Mr Grey is on line. You had pre-coded a message about the papers the night before. You read the message and wrote down the replies.

Another recon of the house and buildings is wanted.. Any items of usefulness should be staged and under the cover of night relocated to Mr Grey’s store room in his bunker.

The group talks openly about Mr Purple, no one has heard from him for some time. No one wants to try and venture out to see if he is ok but everyone is worried.

The call signs off and you decide to surprise your family by opening some canned deer meat and frying it up to be served with gravy on toast.

 

[Icarry2]

07:06 Day 5

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

As you pour the last of the coffee you refill the kettle with more cold water from the 2 gallon jug you have sitting on the counter and place it back on the stove. You check the fore and decide to add another log so the house will be a little warmer when the crew wakes up.

You wonder what others have setup to deal with this situation. How many are freezing in their homes because they have no heat, how many are starving because they have ran out of pre-packaged food and have no way of preparing other food.

How are others surviving? You say a little prayer as you shuffle around things in the pantry to find a couple jars of the deer meat you canned earlier this fall. The rest is in the basement stacked neatly on shelves labeled and dated. The older stuff in front just like your mother taught you with canned goods. You know there is older stuff from last year that you should eat first but you decide to use what is right at hand. If things continue there may not be enough anyway..

 

[Icarry2]

07:40 Day 5

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

The family finally gets up and around, as usual they all come to the living room and huddle around the stove to warm up. You check the outside temp to see the mercury sitting just above 20 deg F. Cold, but not bitter cold yet cold all the same. A few days of this will have plenty of people panicking and even some dying from the cold, no water and starving with no food..

Your thoughts drift to your children not with you. You know that Annie will probably be ok as Kay’s new husband is a hunter and that last you knew the generator setup you had configured for their house was still operational, as long as the “kid” she married had maintained it. You knew he had switched the house to a corn or pellet heater so they should be warm. But if the idiot didn’t read the info you left concerning the well and the water pipes freezing they will be without water..

You could bet that Carl is probably without heat and power and more then likely the city water supply where his Mamaw lived would have zero pressure. The tower wasn’t big enough for the town and they usually pumped water up hill from the river side treatment facility to the town anyway.

You had tried to prepare your children the best you could. You gave them silver for birthdays and Christmas’s and told them if they ever needed to use the silver to barter transportation to your place to do so or even get to one of the 6 secret locations you have setup all over the Midwest. With the travel ban being taken very serious by the “authorities” you haven’t considered “buggin out” to one of them yet.

 

[Icarry2]

08:05 Day 5

Copyright, Icarry2, WDY Media

Your fried deer meat, biscuits and gravy is done and being served. The children have stolen your heated water to warm the wash up water and they have all cleaned up, gotten work clothes on and are planning their activities as they sit down to eat.

Trisha comes to your side, snuggles up under your arm and kisses you on the cheek and reminds you that she loves you. As she pulls tighter she says “what would we do without you?” a rhetorical question which Mary answers quickly, “freeze and starve” to which the whole dining room giggles.

You tear yourself away from Trisha long enough to bow then flip your cooking towel back to your right shoulder where you always keep it while cooking as you exclaim, :”at your service..”

You then explain that because of what you have taught them each has the ability to fend for themselves and can for the most part keep themselves alive.

You explain to them that cleaning up the mess is their “first order of work for the day” and take off the cooking “hat” and resume your normal duties.