Read Dystopia: The Beginning of the End Online
Authors: DJ Cooper
Dystopia: The Beginning of the End (16 page)
“All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word; freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.”
-Winston Churchill
December 17
th
The big day had finally arrived and the area was buzzing with excitement as they readied everything for their family and friends. Matt was pacing about continually asking everyone if anyone had heard from Ryan yet. Dez said he was positively annoying, likening him to a kid on a trip asking, “Are we there yet?” Frowning at him as she sent him to the gate to get him out of her hair.
Static started on the CB, it was Ryan signaling their arrival. She sent Jeremy up to the gate to fetch Matt for her. Knowing he would keep them at the gate all day if she didn’t.
When Jeremy arrived with Matt at his side, Matt was visibly agitated telling her, “What do you need, they should be here soon.”
She told him they were on their way and that she did not want him holding them up at the gate as she was laughing. At first he looked at her confused and then laughed saying she was probably right.
It was not even ten minutes later they could hear the horn blowing from Ryan’s jeep. Matt nearly broke something tripping over a chair while he scrambled to where the vehicles would park.
Dez laughed at him, saying, “Slow down dear, you won’t be any fun with a broken leg.”
As they started exiting the vehicles, Matt made a mental note of each person as they got out. Hugs and handshakes from everyone. Matt stood waiting and watching, John got out holding out a hand to help Amy down and then reaching for Kimmie.
She ran straight to Matt, hugging her cousin so tight he thought he might just fall over. Kimmie then ran to Dez as Matt continued to watch the exodus from the vehicles. He saw, Danny and Laurie Reed, Toni’s mother and brother, who immediately went to Toni and Jeremy followed by Melinda and Brian friends of Jeremy’s.
In the last vehicle he saw his parents with Matty climbing out. He ran over to them and in a single motion scooped up Matty hugging him and chatting away. He hugged his mom and dad.
Two other guys he did not know got out as well and introduced themselves to Matt. “Ray Saylor here and this ugly looking one is Roger Morris.”
Matt shook their hands and welcomed them, saying, “C’mon up and meet everyone.”
The whole group was abuzz, everyone introducing themselves and having some drinks. Matty clung to his father’s leg, refusing to play with the other children, which distressed Dez.
She could see in his eyes, he had suffered some trauma along his trip. She went over to Renee, Matt’s mother and asked her about it. She said that he had been withdrawn for the past few weeks, and that she did not know what had caused it exactly but said to give him time.
Dez caught sight of a look between Renee and Kimmie that made her wonder what really happened.
Looking at Dez she said, “It was bad out there, the trip was hard on all of us. We lost a few along the way and saw some really bad things. I could not believe people could act the way they are.”
She looked away from her and shuddered.
Dez put her hand on her shoulder and said, “I know it is, we have been extremely lucky in comparison to some.”
As she looked over to Astrid and Cameron she said, “Listen, we don’t need to talk about this now, it can wait.”
They all sat around sharing experiences, as people from the area began to arrive for the festivities. There was the Marlin family from up the road, Cory and his family arrived and the Douglas family who was their closest neighbor. Soon a batch of Ryan’s guys showed up bringing some
real
beer to the gathering. Tawny feigned insult as everyone cheered and then laughed.
The evening was festive with music and plenty of food. Matt was in his glory when the Douglas family brought a whole side of bacon.
Dez said to Charleigh, “I can hear his arteries hardening already.”
Charleigh laughed and told her he would have a hard time eating a whole pound for a snack with Janice on the job. They were laughing when Dez noticed Matty sitting in a chair, eating nothing and not really even paying attention to anything.
Dez went up to Matty and told him she had a surprise for him. Holding his hand, they walked up to the barn where she pulled out a whole jar of peanut butter.
Matty loved a good PBJ, she said she could make him one because there was really not much outside that he really liked. He just nodded and she whipped one up for him.
Matty was ten and generally a happy kind of kid, in spite of some of the things his parents had done. She was told that his mother would often tell him bad things about his dad. Saying he was rotten like his father.
Matty had wanted to live with his dad since the divorce and she knew it. But to hurt Matt she got a lawyer and taken him to court for custody. Since Matt lived out of state, they gave her custody.
Matty would say he hated his mother all these years and Matt would always scold him saying he was not allowed to hate his mother. He often told him hate would make him sick and anyone so awful for him to hate, he should just ignore instead of making himself sick. It worked when he was younger, but now at ten years old, he knew who he hated and didn’t.
They sat on the sofa while Dez explained the solar panels that made it so they could watch some shows. Matty just nodded at her, nibbling his sandwich. Dez was worried about him. She asked if he was sad about something. He looked up at her with tears in his eyes, hopped into her lap and cried.
Dez hugged him and whispered to him, “It's ok little man, I got ya now.”
Holding him closer she said, “We missed you something terrible and worried about you every day. I’m so glad you are here now to help us.”
He looked up at her with tears streaming down his face and said, “No one loves me now, cause I’m a bad person. My mom said so, she said I was just like my dad a piece of shit loser.”
Dez was shocked, saying, “Honey, you’re not a bad person and neither is your dad. Did you see all those people outside? They all think he is great. And, did he tell you that he even got shot saving everyone from the bad guys?”
Sniffling he looked up and wiped his face saying, “He did?”
Dez nodded, saying, “uh huh.”
Wiping his face, she continued, “He’s a genuine hero, and since you’re just like him you must be a hero too. You two are my heroes.”
He smiled a small smile and rubbed his snotty nose on her arm. To which she made a “yuck” face and took him to the sink to wash up, telling him all the kids were wanting to know about this brave boy who traveled to see them. She asked if he might want to go see Ariel and the other kids. He nodded he wanted to go play and ran for the door, stopping midway, he turned and ran back to hug her.
Holding back tears, she told him to run along and play with them. After he left the barn, Dez sat down and cried. Sarah had been in the sleeping area and heard the whole thing.
Coming over to her, she said, “I wonder why any mother would tell a child such a thing.”
Dez told her it was constant in the boy’s life, saying, “I’m glad she is not here, I might have hauled her into the woods and done something awful.”
Sarah giggled a little and said she probably would have helped her, and they both laughed.
Dez was concerned at what he might have seen that made him think that way and said to Sarah, “I know that both his mom and dad have said horrible things about one another to him, but something is really wrong with this and something happened to him.”
Sarah said, “Maybe he will tell in time.”
Nodding Dez said, “Maybe.”
After taking a minute to regain her composure, both of the ladies went back out to the festivities, sitting near Tawny telling her how much they hated beer and preferred her wine and mead.
They sat and watched the makeshift band play and everyone chatting and commented back and forth about how much this was needed.
Matt went over to John and asked him, “How was the trip?”
John got a pained look saying, “You got a week? I’ll tell you about it.”
He patted his friend and said, “All in good time buddy, I’m just glad you made it.”
John said “It’s real bad out there, I’m glad we made it too.”
Looking down John said, “I fear the worst of things hasn’t even begun yet, and we will face much worse before all is said and done.”
Matt nodded and grunted agreement while taking another sip of beer.
As the two of them sat watching the festivities Matt wondered what the future will hold for their small group. He sat in silent reflection of the events leading to this moment. Thankful that his family was safe… at least for now
Many of the inventions or the ways that the persons in this book choose to improvise are derived from various sources and things learned over the years.
In an effort to share some of these things with my readers, I have compiled a few resources to assist in the application of these techniques.
While I do not personally endorse untrained persons in attempting some things they are not trained to do. I always encourage others to learn so you and your families can be prepared in the event of any unforeseen “dystopian” moments.
Preparedness, is an age old means by which people for generations made it through tough times. Many prepare for eventualities such as described in this book. Being prepared is a mindset. It is sometimes as simple as keeping a month’s worth of cash in the bank for something like time off work.
Those in hurricane prone areas might keep water stored or wood on hand to board windows. Persons in Tornado prone areas might have a storm shelter. But the greatest preparedness tool you can have is Knowledge.
Many of us have had, “One of those days.” You wake up late to find the pipes are frozen and you can’t take a shower. You fluff yourself up enough to not look like you’re a wrinkled mess that just rolled out of bed. To find that the car won’t start and when it does and you finally get there. Someone dumps a cup of coffee all over you. The day continues this way until you finally fall into bed completely spent.
These days happen… In this book this day happens, but on a larger scale. How many of us keep a spare shirt at work in case of coffee? Or have a battery pack to jump the car? This is an example of being prepared.
Many have the view of a person who tries to keep these bad days from being much more than an inconvenience that is possibly not positive. The connotations of the media and other places sets people with an eye on the horizon and the forethought to consider the inevitable as some kind of disturbed human.
Realistically the things in this book could happen and have, possibly not to some of us. But world over many things happen that will carry us from our comfort zone.
If we are spent at the end of, “One of those” days, where will we stand on, “One of THOSE days?”
This book is without a doubt an
idealized
view of how things could go, they are already located in a rural area. There are preparations ahead of time and knowledge between the characters. Ideally, we could all live a life free from the constraints and needs of the big cities, but often this is not the case.
Our group in this book is a community, not just a small band of preppers holing up. They try to not just survive, but to thrive. Many drawing on the knowledge of others and sharing… Utopia?
Who knows, but in Book two??…
Dystopia: The Long Road we get to look at the same scenario from the flip side.
Following are a few websites, books and videos I have enjoyed while writing this book. I hope you do too
DJ Cooper
www.prepperbroadcasting.com/surviving-dystopia
http://survivalblog.com/planning_for_extra_mouths_to_f/
Composting is the art of recycling organic matter into excellent fertilizer and garden material. Adding compost to your garden can enhance the nutrients plants need.
Basics of composting
http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
http://www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/
Collection of rain water has been a viable source of water for many in the Midwestern states and continues to be used today. Please check local ordinances and laws in your area as some areas regulate rainwater catchment systems.
A basic article about catching and storing your own rainwater
http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Rainwater-Collection-System
I love mother earth news, there is always tons of information for the homesteader in this magazine
This one is good because it also touches on the grey water usage
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06702.html
The sun shines on us a tremendous amount of energy. This energy can be harnessed in many ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DKJ4AkxJr0
This site actually has lots of good information
http://rimstar.org/renewnrg/diy_pex_solar_hot_water_thermal_dn.htm
Those who burn wood for heat could easily heat their water using some of these techniques.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/wood-stove-water-heater-zmaz76ndztak.aspx
http://www.mdpub.com/SolarPanel/
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Solar-Panel/
The use of batteries can make a solar, wind or hydroelectric system provide them with enough stored energy to run an entire home.
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Solar-Setup/
http://www.altenergymag.com/emagazine/2010/12/the-diy-guide-to-off-grid-solar-electricity/1650
http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/diy-solar-heating-zmaz77sozgoe.aspx
http://www.thediyworld.com/DIY-Passive-Solar-Heating-Projects.php
http://stonehavenlife.com/7-diy-pop-can-solar-heaters/
YouTube channels with lots of great information, Be sure and follow their channels so you can get updates whenever they put out a new video
John Milandred, well known for his experience and survival expertise has some great how to videos.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcU9nITkSdxeEbZ2Wo92Gfw
Eric ware, this channel has some very good information about a wide variety of topics
https://www.youtube.com/user/eware421
