Pedestals of Ash (6 page)

“Sergeant, what do you make of this?”

The experienced soldier didn’t hesitate, “Sir, I don’t know if you picked up on the
highway
signs, but it appears as though we have arrived in Tyler
ville
, Texas. It is also my opinion that the locals are a little more organized than anyone else we’ve come across and have constructed a moat and barricade to protect their town…sir.”

Major Owens appreciated a good dose of sarcasm now and then and decided to add a little himself, “Excellent report
,
S
ergeant – I admire your tremendous grasp of the obvious.” After the two
professional soldiers exchanged
grins, the officer added, “Let’s go see what this is all about – we’re behind schedule
,
and I’m going to get an ass chewing from division as is.”

After the scout
jumped down from the tank, Owens waited until the man made it back to his Bradley
,
and then the two war machines proceeded toward the fortifications. As they approached the roadblock, Major Owens saw movement
,
and suddenly a golf cart popped out and headed directly for them. He ordered his driver to stop the tank and the gunner to cover the approaching electric cart. Owens could see two men inside of the cart, one of them appeared to be in uniform. His radio sounded with the observation that dozens of people were now standing on top of the trailers.

Major Owens didn’t know what to expect, so he stayed in the turret and waited. The small white transport stopped about 20 meters in front of his tank and two men immediately hopped out. One of them appeared to be a police officer with grey hair and
reasonably crisp
uniform
. Owens surmised him to most likely be the
local
police
chief
or county sheriff. The other man was even older, but wore a suit jacket and tie. He donned a fedora hat and smiled broadly
,
as the two
of them
walked a few steps closer. Owens again speculated this man was the city manager or mayor. Owens radioed he was dismoun
ting th
e tank and required the master s
ergeant to join him – armed.

The rear door of the Bradley lowered
,
and six fully armed infantryme
n exited the back. Owens decided
the men did a good job of making it clear there was going to be zero bullshit while at the same time not threatening the two gentlemen who were waiting on him.

Owens and
the master s
ergeant approached
the two men
,
and the older gent
leman
immediately extended his hand. “General, I am Craig Farley, mayor of Tyler
ville
,
Texas.” The mayor pointed to his comrade and continued, “This is our Chief of Police, Mike Thompson.”

Owens was polite and tried to sound as official as possible. When he introduced himself, he emphasized his rank, but wasn’t sure the politician heard him. Handshakes were exchanged
,
and the honorable Mr. Farley continued, “Major, we are so happy that help is finally here. We had just about given up hope. Our people are hungry
,
and medical supplies are non-existent. Were it not for the quick action of Chief Thompson, we would have
really
been in trouble. Thank God the f
eds have finally stepped in.”

The m
ajor shifted his weight and looked the man in the eye, “Mayor, I regret to inform you that we are not a relief convoy. We are on our way to Louisiana and need to pass through your town as quickly as possible. I’m sorry
,
sir, but I can’t lend you any assistance at this time.”

Both of the men from Tyler
ville
were shocked. The mayor started to stutter something, but the chief found his voice first, “What do you mean
,
M
ajor
? I can assure you and your commander that no one in Louisiana needs help more than we do. Whatever aid you plan
n
ed on delivering there is just as badly needed here.”

The m
ajor’s response was as firm as he could make it without sounding disrespectful, “Sir, we are not
on a relief mission
. We have specific orders that I cannot share with you at this time, but I assure you
,
sir, we do not have the supplies or personnel to render any assistance.”

The mayor and chief looked at each other with puzzled, questioning expressions. Owens pressed on, “Gentlemen, I must ask you to allow us passage and as soon as possible. We are already behind schedule
,
and I am trying to make up time. Please provide an opening for us to pass through.”

The mayor’s mood quickly turned ugly, “Well this is
just a fine how-do-you-do. We’
ve been waiting for weeks on the government to lend us a hand
,
and now what do we get? We get more work thrown at us with zero payback.”

The chief quickly joined in, “Major, we can’t just open a door in that roadblock and let you pass through. It’s not that simple. After we moved those trailers into place, the fuel was drained from the tractors and used for the hospital’s generators. We don’t have anything that can open a passage for you unless you have some spare diesel and a way to pump it.”

The army officer was
short on time, fuel
,
and patience
. He was barely going to
make it to the border with
the fuel they had onboard. If the resupply convoy didn’t catch up to them soon, the Ironhorse was going to be stranded here on I-20 just like all of these other refugees. “Sir, I don’t have enough fuel to complete my mission, let alone fill up some of your trucks. We will move a couple of the trailers out of the way and proceed.”

The chief had seen that coming and protested, “You can’t punch a hole in our wall and just leave us
,
son. We barely keep out all of
those
people as it
is. If we hadn’t blown that dam
and created this lake, we would be in serious
trouble. Without that blockade
, we would be overrun in a day.”

Major Owens took a deep breath and exhaled. He wanted to remind these two civil servants that “those people” were fellow Americans, but
clearly,
the situation had deteriorated to the point where no words from a stranger would have any affect. Besides, it would open a debate he didn’t have time for. In the calmest
voice,
he could muster, he replied. “Chief, I’m sorry, but I don’t see any alternative. We don’t have the time to go around. How about if we close the hole after we pass through? Would that work?”

The two older men looked at each other
,
and the mayor finally shrugged his shoulders, “I guess so
,
M
ajor. At least we won’t be any worse off. Besides, what
we
are going to do – fight the U.S. Army?”

It was almost dark by the time the Ironhorse had crossed town and was proceeding toward the state line again.
Owens
radioe
d his status to his commanding g
eneral back in Dallas and then requested the information on the status of his refueling convoy
. The response wasn’t what he wanted to hear
. Only half of the promised trucks were leaving Dallas – in the morning.
Despite that bad news, Owens enjoyed at least some comic relief. Upon informing
his commander that the resupply convoy would require a significant security detachment, the
three-minute
vulgarity-laden rant crackling
th
rough his earpiece was a classic example of a professional officer expressing his displeasure
.

The m
ajor decided he didn’t want to completely ru
n out of fuel and turn his fast-
moving armor into fixed
position
pillboxes
, so he ordered
a halt for the night. He and his men could use a little rest, so when they reached a relatively open area, they circled the
wagons and set up camp
.

Terri folded the sheets into a nice tight crease and began fluffing the pillows. Her thoughts migrated from worrying about Bishop to being thankful for the soft, comfortable bed. She and Bishop had been sleeping on the camper’s thin, foam covered
bunks for weeks. The old
trailer
at the ranch provided basic shelter
and a good spot to hide, but offered
few amenities.
I’d gladly trade this comfy bed for having Bishop back
, she thought. Every time he was away, she felt an undeniable empty spot inside that was almost l
ike being hungry – but not quite the same
. When he was doing something dangerous, t
he hunger became intense. She sub
consciously shook her h
ead to clear the negative
direction her mind was heading.
He’ll come back to me – he always does.
The effort to pus
h down the worry about her soul
mate
seemed to open another door in her mind. She sat on the end of the bed and realized
she was homesick for their home
in Houston. They had both worked so hard to get that house. It wasn’t anything grandiose or special, just another small home among thousands of similar abodes scattered throughout the suburbs of American cities. Still, they had worked together and managed a home when most other people couldn’t. Terri had been a bank teller while Bishop worked as a security specialist at HBR. Ameri
ca had been in the throes of a s
econd Great De
pression when the terrorists
attacked. The government’s reaction had caused further damage to the economy
,
and it had all been too much. Over a perio
d of a few weeks, everything
collapsed.

They had
tried to stay put, but supplies were
running low
,
and neighbors were beginning to turn on each other. Looters became bold
,
and there was no way the surrounding land could s
upport the population. Martial l
aw being declared was the last straw. Bishop had inherited property in
w
est Texas
years before and had created a hunting retreat that allowed them both to escape the pressures of city life now and then. When it became clear that they couldn’t manage in suburbia any longer, the young couple had bugged out and headed west.

The escape from Houston and ensuing trip through an uncivilized Texas had been another extreme
test of their
working together. Saving money, managing the budget and the seemingly
endless process of acquiring a mortgage
paled in comparison to surviving that trip across Texas. They had endured because they were a team
,
and Terri missed her partner badly.

Her attention turned to her surroundings as she gazed
around the beautiful room and wondered how many guests it had pleased over the years. She had always loved travel
,
and the few meager vacations she and Bishop had been able to afford left special memories that would be cherished forever. She smir
ked at the irony of staying at t
he Manor under these circumstances. Before the collapse, such an expensiv
e luxury was beyond their modest
budget. She could remember driving through Meraton on the way to their ranch and wondering what it would be like to stay at such a nice place. Now, she wanted very badly to be back at their hom
estead – with Bishop by her side
.

The ranch had supported them for over two months. While desert living had been a struggle, they weren’t starving
…
and
had always
appreciated the tranquility
their hideaway afforded
. Both of them needed the time to recover from the bug out trip. Everything had been going reasonably well until Bishop’s o
ld boss, t
he Colonel, had buzzed the ranch
in a private plane. The Colone
l was on a mission directly ordered by
the President of the United States. The plane
, low on fuel
,
had
crashed
,
in the search
to find Bishop’s ranch. The Colonel had been bad
ly injured
,
a
nd Meraton was the closest location
where Bishop and Terri could ge
t medical help. The arrival of t
h
e Colonel had changed their lives. T
oo injured to complete his mission
, t
he Colonel
recruited Bis
hop to deliver a report to the p
resident. The information in that report might help to avoid a civil war
,
and Terri had supported Bishop
’s
taking on the responsibility.

Terri ambled toward
the end of the bed that dominated
the hotel room
,
lost in thought.
She folded her
nightclothes
and brushed the wrinkles out of the bedspread. A loud knock at the door startled her.

Her first thought was it was David or Samantha, but they had left to spend a few days at the Beltran ranch.
As Terri padded toward the handmade, thick plank door, s
he couldn’t help but wonder if t
he Manor would ever become a desirable destination for traveling families again. Since the fall of society, the small, isolated town of Meraton had used its largest structure as a combination
guesthouse
, hospital
,
and defensive fort. Would people ever come here again for pure pleasure and rest?

Terri called out, “Who is it?”

Betty, the proprietor of t
he Manor, responded in a nervous voice. “Umm…ahhhh…Terri, there are some people here to speak with you.”

Something in Betty’s tone warned Terri
,
and she reached for her pistol lying on the bedside table. She held the weapon at her side and slowly opened the door
,
staying to the side of the opening.

“Good morning
,
Betty. I have guests? I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

Betty’s voice was strained. “There are two men here who say they know you. They were down at Pete’s
,
asking where you and Bishop are
. They are rather insistent.”

Terri fought the urge to rush out of the room, the potential of there being news regarding Bishop causing her to abandon caution. She paused and calmed herself, remembering Betty didn’t get scare easily. Terri cleared her throat, “Betty, I’m not dressed just yet. Could you ask
them to meet me at Pete’s in 10
minutes?”

A male voice responded, “Terri, it’s Nick.”

Terri, still holding her pistol, exploded out of the room and ran immediately to Nick, almost knocking him over with her embrace. The big man caught his balance and spun her around in a spiral of hugging while Terri peppered hi
s cheeks with friendly kisses.
Nick finally set her down
,
and she immediately looked around
,
spotti
ng Kevin standin
g shyly against a porch column
. Terri, so happy to see the young man, repeated the same scene minus the jumping into Kevin’s arms.

Betty cleared her throat
,
indicating a curiosity as to what was goin
g on. Terri blushed and nodded a
n apology to her friend. “Betty, this is Nick and Kevin. Bishop and I met them on the trip out here from Houston. They saved our bacon more than once
,
and we all survived a crazy situation together.”

Betty politel
y squeezed both of the visitors’
hands and kindly asked if they planned on staying in town for a
while.
A confused look on his face,
Nick wasn’t quite sure
how to respond. He had been surprised to learn that Terri was not at the ranch and
still
had no idea where Bishop was.
He finally decided it was best to simply look at Terri with a puzzled expression on his face. Terri smiled and bailed him out,
saying, “I’m sure these fellas
would appreciate a comfy room after such a long trip.”

Betty nodded and pointed to the room two
doors
down from Terri’s.
“I’ll bring the key in just a bit. Nice to meet the both of you,” and turned, strolling back to the front lobby.

Terri waved for Nick and Kevin to follow her and lead them into the pool area. Both men
still carried
their rifles on
their shoulders, until
Terri reassured
them they could relax and take it easy here at the Manor. Neither wasted much time unslinging their weapon
s
.

Both of them looked at the crystal clear pool
,
and Ke
vin gave his father a look that asked, “
C
an I jump in?”

Nick started to shake his head in disapproval
when Terri interrupted, “If he wants to go for a swim, it
’s
okay. As a matter of fact, you both might enjoy a quick dip. If you don’t have any trunks, I have a pair of Bishop’s shorts in my room.”

A quick father-son discussion ensued
,
resulting in Kevin
’s
scurrying out
to the truck to get their bags. Terri noted he stopped on the way and picked up his rifle without even thinking about it.
Wh
at a world we live in when
a 1
6-
year old boy treats his rifle like kids us
ed
to treat their cell phones.
Kevin
quickly returned with their belongings,
and both men used Terri’s room to change. In a few minutes
,
two huge splashes interrupte
d the tranquil surroundings of t
he Manor’s gardens. If Terri hadn’t known better, she would have sworn
there were two kids playing in the water
.

After a few laps, one semi-serious splash fight
,
and a minor wrestling match, Nick glided over to the edge and braced his arms on the side of the pool. Terri, sitting in one of the cushy recliners surrounding the pool deck
,
smiled and questioned, “Feel better?”

Nick rubbed the water from his eyes and responded, “I can’t believe I’m swimming in a beautiful pool. This is one thing I thought would never happen again. I think we’ve finally made it to paradise!”

Terri laughed and bragged, “We have a nice barter market and a fully stocked bar as well. We tried to get you to come with us, but noooooooo. You wanted to stay and help rebuild society. Nobody can say you weren’t invited.”

Kevin splashed over and joined the conversation, “Miss Terri, you never said anything about a pool. I can’t believe how good this feels. If you had told me about the pool, I would’ve
talked dad into coming sooner
.”

Nick playfully splashed water in his son’s face
,
caus
ing the young man to duck under
water and push off the side. Terri took the opportuni
ty to speak to his father, “So Master S
ergeant, what brings you out west
,
if I may be so nosey?
Last I heard, y
ou were going to stay and help all of those poor refugees at the I-10 exit. What happened?”

Nick sighed and looked down
. His expression betrayed an intense exasperation tinged with sadness.
“We did rebuild as best we coul
d. We even managed to establish
trade with a nearby town. After a few months, the people organized their own leaders and even had an election of sorts.” The big man’s eyes drifted off
,
and he gently shook his head. “You know me
,
Terri – I’m a soldier, not a politician. They w
anted me to be
a poli
ceman, and I just couldn’t do that
.
They were
concerned about folks pulling the tags off their mattresses while
I was still worried about raiders, looters
, and rogue
gangs. When t
here weren’t any serious raids or pr
oblems the last month or so,
I guess I kind of wore out my welcome.”

Terri had trouble visualizing what Nic
k was describing to her.
Bishop
and she
had tried to cross interstate 10 at a remote exit on their trip west. The exit had been taken over by a biker gang on one side and a drug gang on the other. Thousands of cars were stranded on the road
,
leaving the occupants without
basic necessities of
gas, water, food
,
or shelter. The two ruling gangs had systematically taken anyt
hing they wanted from the maroon
e
d motorists. Bishop and Nick initiat
ed a war between the two sides
,
resulting in one gang being wiped out and the other taking off before the starving people overwhelmed them. Nick and his son had decided to stay and help those people rebuild.