A Private War Read online

  "What do you think will happen to the people of Austin now, after the fire and all."

  "I don't know, Peters will have to think things over, to see if it might not be better to move everyone that's left over to Redway. I told him we would take them in as best we could."

  "Do you think that's wise with the snow and all. People would have to walk all that way. Could trucks be sent back for them?"

  "We aren't that must better off in Redway, there just isn't the gas for that big of a move and still have enough for spring planting. I know that sounds heartless but we have to plant as much as we can come spring or there won't be anyone left this time next year."

  "I know but I wish there was something we could do."

  "Let me think on it, maybe there is at that."

  The three of them started off into the snow as clouds covered the sun. By two in the afternoon it was snowing again and the temperature dropped with each passing hour. Gaylon's face was red from the freezing wind and snow melted on his beard. To the point of covering his lower face with a blanket of ice.

  "Gaylon, we can't go on, the storm is getting worse!" Kate shouted.

  "Yes, I know, we have to find a place to dig in and wait it out for awhile. Redway is only about six more miles, I can leave my pack with the two of you and push on to town and be back with help in a few hours. Samuels has four or five snowmobiles that just love the snow."

  "Ok, but you'll be careful won't you?!" Kate said as she placed her hand on the side of Gaylon's face," I want my cook back in one piece!"

  Gaylon's side hurt from the heavy pace that he had set for himself through the darkness of the cold winter's storm. The snow cave that the three of them had dug into the drift of snow was to protect Kate and Jill until Gaylon could return with help. Pulling his compass from inside his coat, Gaylon looked at the glowing luminous dial and after replacing the compass inside, started off again into the darkness. Kate stomped her feet against the cold and thought of Gaylon as the wind continued to howl through the trees. Turning her watch to reflect in the light of the small candle, Kate checked the time and mumbled under her breath. Jill looked at Kate and back at the snow as it melted in the pot. She took some instant coffee from her pack and measured some into each tin cup. Giving the cover a final twist she replaced it in her pack and then poured the now hot water into each cup and passed one to Kate.

  "He'll be ok, you said yourself that Gaylon can take care of himself."

  "I know, but the storm is really bad and Gaylon was already tired when he left. Oh, why did I let him go!"

  "Do you love him?"

  "Yes, I do. I wish things were different right now. You heard Gaylon talk about the coming spring. What if there isn't one, what if the war has screwed up the world so bad that we have that nuclear winter they were always so worried about. I mean look where we are right now. This is only October, there's three feet of snow the ground already!"

  "Kate, there is nothing you or I can do about that. We'll survive, Gaylon will see to that. Listen, I hear something!" Jill and Kate gripped their rifles, blew out the candle, and looked out into the darkness. Light reflected off each snowflake and the rush of engines filled the trees around them. A black snowmobile stopped facing the snow cave the headlight shining in and the engine died. A masked face climbed off the machine and standing, reached up and started to pull the mask from his face. The lips were smiling as the woolen mask uncovered them, then the eyes came into view, they were blue.

  "Gaylon!"

  Kate dropped her rifle and threw both her arms around Gaylon's neck, her lips searching for his. He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, picked her up off the ground and kissed her back. Jill ran from the cave, Gaylon opened his arms and jested to her. Then the three of them were in the snow, rolling, laughing, and crying as the others in Gaylon's party looked on.

  "I guess they're happy to see you, Gaylon." one man said as he stepped forward into the light. "All though I don't know why."

  "Samuels, I see you haven't changed since I last saw you." Kate explained, "But if it makes you feel better I'm happy to see you too." And walking over to him, kissed him on the cheek and gave him a big hug.

  "I feel better now, so get your packs and let's get back to where it's warm. I'm not into this cold shit."

  A half hour later Kate was sitting in front of a roaring fire drinking hot spiced rum and wiggling her toes in a pair of sheep skin slippers. Around her a party was going on, town's people and member's of Samuel's paramilitary listened to Gaylon tell of the battle at Austin. The major defeat of Murdock's army was welcomed by all because they knew that such a major blow would stop the Pirates cold for a long time to come. It bought them priceless time, time to rebuild, time to better prepare, time to survive. Jill sat down by Kate and shared the warmth of the fire. Jill drank the last from her cup and placed it floor beside her.

  "Kate, I've got a question I need to ask you."

  "Sure, what is it?"

  "Do you want me to stay here in town, or to go with you to Gaylon's place. I don't want to go where I'm not wanted. And I don't want to get between you and Gaylon. Samuels said I wouldn't have any trouble finding a place in town to live. I kind of feel like a fifth wheel around here."

  "Jill, whatever Gaylon and I have together is strong so stay with us. You are family now, the only family any of us have. I couldn't stand it if you left us now after all we have been through together. Whatever comes I want us together, please stay." Kate answered as tears ran down her face and opening her arms, Jill buried her face in Kate's hair and they cried together. Gaylon looked across the floor at Kate and Jill as they cried. A small smile crossed his face and faded. Murdock was still out there somewhere and he knew that their paths would cross again in the near future. Jerking his head at Samuels, Gaylon motioned him over and the two of them talked far into the night.

  Murdock cursed as a doctor changed the bandages on Murdock's face. The burns on his faces were black and raw as the doctor worked to debridge the dead tissue from that still living. The doctor shook his head as more of the bandages came free. The right eye was a mass of puss and blood and bone shone through the right cheek where the flames had burned deep. Blood ran down the side of Murdock's neck as the wasted tissue was cut away. Packing the empty eye socket as best he could the doctor redressed the burned face and turned to the other wounds on Murdock's body. As he worked the doctor prayed, if Murdock died the pirates would kill him too. Reaching into his bag the doctor removed the last bottle of penicillin he had and prepared a massive shot.

  "Remember what I told you, Doc. You screw up and my men will eat you alive. And give me something for the pain, my face in killing me!"

  The doctor swapped the side of Murdock's arm and injected the penicillin, and mashed the spot with his thumb to rub it in. Murdock's fist struck the doctor in the face and knocked him to the ground. "What the hell are you doing you little shit!"

  "I was just rubbing in the penicillin, it's thick and hard to get into the tissue. I didn't mean to cause you any more pain. Let me give you that pain shot now." the doctor cried, "which will help you."

  "Asshole."

  The doctor's hands shook as he prepared a shot of Morphine, if he gave Murdock too much he would die, but the doctor's thoughts were on the town of Austin and all the killing that Murdock's men had done. Just for fun. A big shot would save more lives even if he was killed, a massive one then. Turning, the doctor reached for Murdock's arm as a bullet entered the left side of the doctor's brain and exited out the right ear. Murdock dropped the gun and motioned to one of his men. "Get the other doc we got in Austin, make certain he sees that when you feed his body to the dogs. No one tries to kill me and live!"

  "Yes, Murdock!"

  For many days, the snow continued to fall. Covering the land in a thick blanket of white and making it impossible for Gaylon to return home. A radio was listening to the shortwave bands in hope of a signal. They did hear of other survivors from time to time. And a
large Army unit was currently encamped a 120 miles to the south and was caring for itself and the local population. They were lucky there in that the Mississippi River was still open to fishing. And even when tiring, the fish caught was a welcome addition to the corn mash that was their normal diet. The Army Unit was the same unit that had supplied Samuels with the Armored Personal Carrier and the twin 105mm Howitzers as few as they may be.

  “Hi, Gaylon. I was just listening to a Weather report from the west of us. They were still getting heavy snow and low temperatures. So, it may some time before you can leave. So, while I have you. I would like to start planning what to do with the Austin survivors when they get here. I just got confirmation that over 200 survivors are coming as soon as the snow lifts. That is way more then we can handle here. You have any idea of how to move that many people with the weather this piss poor?”

  “Well, in fact, I do!” Gaylon as he explained the desperate plan he has discussed with Peters before they left Austin. The timing and the weather would need a great deal of luck if the plan was to succeed. The current plan called for the route to follow Interstate 90 East and it would use two County Snow Plows to clear a path of snow and it then would be secured by patrols of Paramilitary. The snow equipment was available. But, the fuel needed would seriously cut into the hopes for spring planting. Gaylon explained that Austin had two snow plows, drivers, and a single tanker of fuel which should be more then enough for the journey. Samuels got on the radio to the Army unit and talked at some length with the Commander there. Finally an agreement was reached. Now the weather would decide on the future. Three weeks later it did.

  “Get those hay wagons hooked up! We need to get on the road as soon as possible. We only have today! Hey Peters! Can some of your men help the elderly up there onto the wagons. I have twelve more that are coming behind the snow plows from Redway. That should give us enough. Jill, see if you can find more blankets from these empty houses. It’s damn cold out here. I heard it was -5 degrees below zero”

  “Good idea, Gaylon!” Jill shouted as she ran to a group of women waiting for their ride out of town. She quickly explained what was need and one women pointed at a house up the street. A lady there made quilts for sale at the Farmers Market in years passed. A brick through the front door’s window glass and they were inside and came back out again with their arms full of homemade quilts of every color and shade. In the weeks that they waited for the weather to clear, Peters had had his men searching every house and building and collecting everything of value to their survival. In doing so, they found small caches of food and ammo that had been hoarded and stockpiled. Also, simple things like large pots and pans to be used to feed the large number of people along the way. Currently, Gaylon had figured it would take two to three days to complete the move. And thoughts of sheltering and feeding that many people weighed heavy on his mind. Before leaving Redway, Gaylon had sent out runners to any former Red Cross and Salvation Army volunteers as their skills and training should prove invaluable on this large an operation. And respond they did, after a quick meeting the Red Cross Mass Care specialists found large pole barns and enclosed building along the route to shelter the survivors overnights. Heating would have to be by fire barrels and a small number of cast iron stoves. These could also be used to heat soup. This was the best that could be done on such a large movement with such limited resources. Peters had also had his men find and kill any deer, cattle, sheep, and chickens that were not being saved for the future. This made the soup they were to eat. With each survivor allowed only one large cup and spoon for meals. No extra personal goods were to take up space in the wagons. So, each survivor was told to wear as many layers of clothing as possible and nothing more.

  Gaylon and Peters checked each hay rack of survivors before it was allowed to depart. Adding people here, removing there, then over to the next one. Most people only had the tops of their heads showing under the blankets and quilts. By late that morning, the last loads were completed and the trucks and tractors moved out of the now dead town. No one was allowed to remain. Then behind them all the fires started running from house to house and from building to store the flames roared as the town itself was burned to the ground so that no shelter could be given over to the Pirates in the future. No pest hole to be allowed to grow from the ashes. The last of the towns folk cried as they watched the burning of their homes. Some of which had been lived in by a single family for over 120 years. Handing down from Father to son, family to family and so passed down to the future now gone, off into the darkness, forever more.

  Samuel met Gaylon and John Peters in the shelter of a former car dealership hours later. The smoke from fire barrels, rising out through holes cut in the roof the day before with chainsaws. The smell of unwashed bodies and smoke still filled the air. A cup in Gaylon’s hands the only warmth he had had all day. The smell of beef stew making his mouth water and rising it to his lips, he spooned the whole pieces of meat into his mouth with a rush. The cold burning needed strength he could not afford to lose. Licking the spoon a final time, he returned the cup and spoon to his pack. His next meal would not be until the next morning. More reheated stew.

  “Well, that was good while it lasted. How are we holding out on supplies? I know you lose a lot in the firefight with Murdock.” Gaylon asked.

  Peters looked up from his own cup,” We only have enough to last until tomorrow night that’s with only two meals per day. If it takes more then three days to travel we will start to lose some of the elderly and infirm and still more the day after that and so on. With this cold front moving in after all that snow, I think we’ll lost most of the elderly by the end of the trip if it’s longer then 5 days. Has there been any news from the Army?

  “Not the last I heard. They were going to do the best they could but this cold may be a problem for them as well. Some of the Paramilitary scouts have seen tracks in the snow. So far there have been no sightings of Murdock or his men but, we are pretty sure he knows we are here. We should be too big for him to miss with right now.” Samuels stated. “I’m waiting for runners from Redway for updates.”

  They moved off to a place they had selected to catch a few hours of sleep before they had to be up and moving again. Gaylon’s rifle was within easy reach of his sleeping bag a concession for having to walk aside the wagons. His heavy Gore-Tex winter coat protecting him from most of the biting winds. Kate and Jill were sleeping with the kitchen staff to protect what little food they had left. Kate had been already at the dealership earlier in the day to get the soup kitchen started. Kate and Samuels were to head out in the first wagon in a few hours. The next stop was a large pole barn about 10 miles down the road and two squads of Paramilitary were already there to start warming up the building for the evening. Only more straw and cold ground to sleep upon.

  Gaylon got the news that three of the elderly had passed away from the cold over night. Two more had frostbite on their fingers and toes, the trip already more than their wasted bodies could endure. With the frozen ground, they could only cover the bodies with tarps found in the building. A short prayer was said as they started the wagon train moving again. The skies were overcast and they could sense the possibility of snow but stopping to wait it out was not in the cards. They had to keep moving. By noon, they had two more die from the cold with the bodies left by the side of the road. An unwelcome reminder of how desperate their journey was. About an hour later one of the tractors had a breakdown. And the survivors had to be moved into other already crowded wagons while the tractor and wagon were pushed in the ditch so they could get by it. Still they lost two hours that had to be made up before they could stop. That in the end cost them five more sick and elderly which a bitter cost for Gaylon and Peters men as they toiled against the weather and the need to keep moving no matter the lives lost. Their next stop still two hours away.

  Jill waved to Gaylon as they finally saw the farm buildings they were headed for. They stepped aside to let other walkers pass them by. “Kate sai
d that the food is ready as soon as they pull in. And they found hay stored in one of the outbuilding. They moved as much as they could to cover the sleeping area against the cold ground. With the doors closed it was a lot warmer then last night’s place. Samuels also told her that they sighted some of Murdock’s men. But they moved off before they could engage them.”

  “Well, that is all good news. I’ll see to posting more guards then come in for some chow. My stomach has been talking to me for the last hour and I could use a rest. Tell Kate I’ll be in to see her shortly also and Thank you for finding me!”

  Jill moved off and Gaylon helped with the unloading and placement of the guards for the evening. They were all glad to stop and welcomed the thought of hot food that they could smell. So there was a small rush as the doors were opened. Gaylon pulled out my .45 and fired a single shot into the air.

  “Stop right there! There is food for all. But you have to line up to get it. No cutting in line or there will be none for whoever does it.” Gaylon shouted” There is also some hot tea for everyone. It’s not the best but it will warm you.”

  Kate and Gaylon had talked to the Red Cross and Salvation Army staffers and then send teams out to find Juniper and Pine trees. They then started collecting large supplies of their berries and needles for tea. Richer then orange juice in vitamin C it should give them all a lift. Only a few looked on with distaste as the rest had cup after cup of the hot brew as this was the only thing that did not have to be rationed. Lifting spirits and filling hungry bellies, Kate sent teams out to find more, if possible as the need for fluids fought with hungry to the people who were starving. Two bodies had been found in the wagons as they were being unloaded. The toll that was paid for the delayed wagon train, Kate walked over as Gaylon finished his cup of stew.