Our End Of The Lake: Surviving After The 2012 Solar Storm (Prepper Trilogy) (11 page)

“Beats digging any day.” I said following his lead and we began our construction.

Occasional raised voices drifted out from the main house as Dump and I labored over our task.

“Seems he is not in complete agreement as yet.” Dump said chuckling, while we fitted the pipe to our improvised smoker.

“Could be he don’t like the size of his corral.” I said while shuddering at what Martha might be demanding of him.

“Oh, they will sort it out, they actually love and need each other.” he said finishing up a sheet metal flange with a ball peen hammer.

“Look, the love birds are coming out to join us.” he spoke while finding something else to pretend he had his attention on.

“Bill? How’s that fire coming, and what on earth is that creation.” she declared surveying our handiwork.

“It’s a smoker.” Dump declared, as our audience took in the mangled looking chest freezer we had carried out from the back porch.

“Now, that’s slick.” said Ray, while distancing himself from his nemeses and asked, “How’s it work?” feigning interest in the contraption to avoid the dagger-like, but wistful stares coming from Martha.

We explained the process of getting cooler smoke from our fire, while Martha sipped what appeared to be most likely a Jack and coke.

“ Hell, that’s at least 3 months worth of food you guys are creating there.” he said, allowing Martha to slip up to him and reservedly taking claim to her by attempting to encircle her waist with his arm.

“Martha and I have agreed to marry.” he said dejectedly, “Since you are the only official, other than God, will you seal the marriage, David?”

I was thunderstruck, as was Dump. “I am not any kind of official Ray. I didn’t even have a job a few days ago.” I adamantly said.

“You’re what we got and I have agreed. Do a ceremony Dave and Bill, you witness.” he forlornly said.

“Are you serious?” I asked and looked imploringly into each of their eyes.

“Yes, we are Dave.” said Martha back resolutely.

“Dump, go find a Bible or something.” I said near-speechlessly, as he stared open-mouthed at both of them.

“We got to do this right.” I said searching for words, while Martha looked to be blushing or getting ready to tell me to hurry up.

Old Truck was still dumbfounded and hadn’t moved yet.

“There’s one on the nightstand.” she said pushing him in the direction of the house.

“Ya’ll are sure about this?” I inquired, as Dump went on his mission and I looked closely at them again.

“We have agreed.” Martha said pointedly, as Dump Truck trotted back with Bible in hand, mission complete.

“Cross your hands on the Bible. Do you, Ray, promise to love and cherish Martha till death do you part?”

A weak, “Yes,” came from Ray.

“And, do you, Martha, promise to love and to hold Ray till death do you part?”

To which Martha sang out, “YES, I do.”

“By the powers invested in me, by you and before our Lord, I declare you Man and Wife.” I said feeling very peculiar in this role.

“Kiss your Bride, Ray.” I finished saying and surprisingly he did and did so with gusto.

“I heard there was some Jack around here.” I said laughing. “Every marriage needs a toast.” I said in anticipation of being able to partake.

“I will go get it.” Martha said with a lot of color in her cheeks that did not belong to the weather or possible imbibing before the event.

“Back in a minute.” she said flouncing towards the house.

“Well, you old rascal, you took the big jump, didn’t you.” said Dump extending his hand towards Ray.

“She didn’t give me a lot of choices, Bill.” he said returning the handshake. “But I will be good.” he assured my concerned friend.

“Who is that?” I asked, gesturing towards a stranger moving slowly down the road.

“Looks like Philburn Stiles.” declared Ray, moving towards the man with some recognition and concern.

“That’s who it is, alright.” said Dump scrutinizing the newcomer.

“Hey Stiles, you need some help? Ray called while continuing to walk faster towards the zombie-like figure and Dump and I hurriedly tried to catch up.

“I need some water,” the old man croaked as Ray put an arm out to steady him.

“Sure Phil, let me just help you over to this shade tree. Bill, go get some water for him, please.” Ray said letting the gray faced man down gently next to an old oak.

Dump returned from getting the water and handed it to Stiles, who greedily began guzzling it down.

“Easy there, Stiles. Don’t make yourself sick.” Ray said touching the man on the shoulder.

“Ok.” Phil said, slowing his efforts and looking like a deflated bag of bones.

Martha wandered up then, looking like a concerned mother hen.

“Philburn, you look all done in, what’s done happened?” she clucked worriedly looking down at him.

“Let me catch my breath and I will tell you all about it” he wheezed out, while mopping the sweat off his forehead with a shirt sleeve.

“Bill, go get Phil a towel, if you would.” Martha said while still looking anxiously at the old man.

“I will be alright in a bit; I am just wore slam out.” Phil said, while thanking Dump for the towel and sitting up a little straighter, though he was still looking deathly pale.

“Dump, we need to tend that smoker and make sure it’s not getting too hot.” I said looking towards it.

“Martha and I can see to Philburn. You two go do what you need to do. You think you can make up to the porch?” Ray said and extending a hand to the man to give him some help up.

“Might be a bit cooler up there, at that.” Phil said, as he grunted wearily, while grabbing on to Ray’s proffered hand with both of his and pulling himself up.

Dump and I checked the fire and busied ourselves seasoning the meat to go on the grill and discussed various recipes to season the jerky to be going into the oven later on in the day.

“Dump, who is that guy? He was looking pretty peeked?” I said gesturing towards the porch.

“That’s one of the bigger local landowners and a real estate agent. He is also somewhat of a skin flint, if you know what I mean.” Dump said, while creating some kind of mystery rub to go on the lesser cuts of meat from the side of beef we were trying to contend with.

“We don’t have time to do it today, but let me tell you a trick to tenderize those pieces with. You see Chinese restaurants buy those cheaper cuts often times to make up a dish and they coat them with baking soda for about 24hours. As long as you’re sure to wash the baking soda off good before you cook it, it does a great job of tenderizing or use it on deer to remove some of that wild taste.” I explained. “Neat, I will try that some day. Let me cover this meat up and we will go hear Phil burns story.” he said while grabbing a roll of foil.

PHILBURN’S FOLLY

Dump and I wandered up to the expansive covered porch and sat down. I noticed Phil was starting to get a little color back in his cheeks, but still looked the worse for wear.

“Phil, do you need to take an aspirin?” I inquired.

“I got some heart pills, I take. But thanks for thinking about it.” Phil replied.

“This is David,“ Ray said to Phil, who was still barely moving.

“Pleasure, David, wish I could of met you on a better day.” he sighed.

“Me, too,” I replied looking towards Ray and Martha inquiringly.

“Phil’s been telling us how bad Newnan is getting, go ahead with your story Phil.” he said while turning to Martha.

“Martha get Bill and David a drink, we haven’t had our toast yet.” Ray said warily to his new spouse.

“Completely slipped my mind in the confusion.” she said rising and opening the screen door to go into the house.

“What are you toasting, Ray?” Phil said adjusting himself straighter in his chair.

“Martha and me just got hitched.” he said sheepishly.

“I’ll be damned! When was the wedding? I didn’t hear anything about it.” Phil responded with interest.

“About 5 minutes, before you fell out on the front lawn. I will tell you about that later, you were telling us that there was something we needed to know.” he said looking worriedly at Phil.

“You got a plague of locusts heading your way, Ray.” and he settled back to tell his story, as Martha came back and handed Dump and I our drinks.

“You don’t get one until you looking better, Phil.” she said apologetically, but firmly.

“I don’t touch the stuff usually, but I will help celebrate your occasion later. Congratulations, by the way!” he said trying to show more enthusiasm than he felt.

“Well, getting back to my story. I was sitting in Susie’s Drive in on the outskirts of town, when this shit hit. At first, we all thought it was a power outage, until the cars passing along the road out front started to just slow down and stop. There were folks breaking down everywhere and that Georgia power boy, Silas, said something about EMP to who ever was listening. And we all asked a question or two watching the shocked folks get out their cars in wonderment and start to head towards the diner.’ He stated morosely while rocking back in his chair and looking towards Martha.

“Darling, I might just need that drink now please, I will be ok.” he reassured.

“Well, if you can handle it, Ill get it.” she said still looking at him suspiciously, but rising to go mix him one.

“Well, folks kept coming and coming, until the place was filled up and people were just milling around in the parking lot. Nobody knew what to do and the owner Suzie was freaking out, as people started demanding water and the taps weren’t working.” He paused to take his drink from Martha and then resumed his story.

“ It was bedlam, I tell you, inside of there with people packing in like sardines and talking all at once, so I thought I best get out of there, before it got out of hand.” he reminisced wincingly.

“How many people, you figure Phil?” Dump asked looking worried.

“When I left that parking lot there must have been at least a 150 people and more walking towards it.” he thoughtfully considered.

“That’s what I wanted to warn you about. I been smelling that Barbeque you been making for the last two miles.” he said seriously looking around at all our faces.

“I was on the outskirts of Newnan, mind you, no telling how many people will be coming up that exit from the interstate and joining that horde of folks. You guys are off the main drag, but I can’t imagine what all those people are going to do for food and drink.” he said ominously, letting the thought of a mass of refugees descending on our cook out sink in.

Martha started looking like she was going to lose her composure and cast a frightened look towards the road before speaking.

“David, you know about mobs and such, what do we do.” she said imploringly and everyone put me on the spot staring in my direction.

Shit, I ain’t been trained for this I thought
. While I tried to carefully frame an answer for my attentive hosts.

“First thing we do is load what ever long arms we got and keep them handy. Most people will leave you alone by just seeing you armed. We don’t have any idea how many folks will come this way, but if it’s small groups we help who we can, but be adamant about them having to keep moving on.” I said looking for anyone coming up either side of the road.

“What about that smoker, David? Should we put it out?” Dump said eying the outdoor kitchen we had set up.

“Too late for that, we got at least six more hours of burn time needed to finish what we started and folks won’t be so desperate yet, that they’d try to force an issue, if we look armed to the teeth.” I said decidedly.

“I can shoot, if you need me to.” Phil said dejectedly as he realized he wasn’t going to be able to just rest today.

“Let’s just get prepared for the worst, and hope for the best. Dumps, get those guns out and I will bike up the road and do a little recon to see if I can anticipate just what we might be in for.” I said rising to my feet.

“I am on it.” Dump said heading in to the house.

“What should we be doing while you are gone?” Ray said accepting, but not really trusting my judgment yet.

“Help Dump load, and make up some signs on cardboard or something to say ‘no trespassing’, ‘move on’ etc. Philburn can keep watch, if he is feeling up to it. Dump needs to watch the fire and kind of play roving guard and occasionally look for me to be coming back, I shouldn’t be long.” I said getting ready to mount that stupid looking bike.

“You can borrow mine to do that.” Ray said to my instant relief.

“It will be just fine, Martha.” I said consolingly and mounting Ray’s bicycle and heading out down the driveway.

“Be careful!” she cried to my departure.

“I must have been a danged fool to walk all that way in my condition, but I didn’t know what else to do.” Phil said to Dump who was handing him a shotgun and watching my departure.

“Sounds like you had no choice, to me.” Dump said, uncasing a lever action 30-30 and reaching towards his back pocket for a box of ammo to go with it.