Our End Of The Lake: Surviving After The 2012 Solar Storm (Prepper Trilogy) (43 page)

“Oh we can walk over, but I want to bring some extra fixings for that meal if you don’t mind picking up a few things from the end of my pier as you come by would make it easier on me.” Frank replied and I said I would check the ends of piers on the way by if anyone else wanted to do the same thing as him.

“Anyone going to have a problem with open carry firearms” I said tentatively and wondering how my question would be received.

“A few people might be carrying the same way as you prefer too, just keep it toned down if you would, after all it’s a party” Frank responded and I told him we would not be coming armed for bear, just keeping them handy and attended.

Sherry and I said our good byes and boated back to our dock to inform everyone that the Thanksgiving Day picnic was officially on for tomorrow.

Everyone started talking about what to bring besides the turkeys and I told them to just throw some canned vegetables into a bag and we would carry our two Dutch ovens and some rice. That’s it, nothing fancy and definitely no Mountain House freeze dried stuff or any other long term storage food we had. The other side of the lake would probably pitch in too and we would just dump all the vegetables in one pot and call it garden medley. There was a bit of grumbling about not being able to prepare any special dishes but everyone pretty much understood the importance of just showing what could be scavenged on the Lake.

Jack and I got out a big water cooler like the ones they carry on utility trucks and I mixed up about 4 gallons of purified water with orange drink mix and a half gallon of rum to take along.

The girls made up several quarts of apple drink mix and then we settled in for the evening.

The next day Donnie and Jack escorted me back to the turkey trap and after I had dispatched them we loaded the feathered carcasses into the lawn tractors trailer and Jack drove them back to camp while Donnie and I walked back on foot.

“I can’t believe the size of the Tom you got, he must weigh at least 30lbs “Jack said congratulating me on a big old bearded gobbler we had taken.

“Yea he is a big old boy, be sure to hand him to someone called Lucas so we can give him a dose of turkey envy” I said looking forward to showing off our prizes.’

“You are going to take one or both boats David? Donnie asked as we hiked along and I stopped to point out a blackberry patch we needed to bring the girls out to show sometime.

“We will bring both, Jack and I have to figure out how we are going to alternate guarding our compound while the other is at the party. I will probably go over first do the meet and greet then get the turkeys started cooking and come back and relieve him. Sherry can sail good enough I think if she takes it slow but I might let her use the motor boat. I haven’t decided what’s best yet.

“I could help you all stand guard.” Donnie offered.

“No we got it, but thanks anyway. You need to be trying to talk up bartering and maybe mention a little something about our bank.” I replied and although that was a good reason to keep him over there. I did not want him having access to our whole camp and seeing what we had stashed around it, after all he was still new to us.

“Shush, there’s deer” I said to Donnie seeing a Buck and a few does come out of the woods and start to go across the road. A .223 round is not an ideal deer round but I was loaded with hollow points just for such occasion and I took my shot. Blam! I hit the deer just under the shoulder and he staggered and then ran about 50 yards into the woods on the other side of the road and died. We waited about 5 minutes or so and went to look for the body in case he hadn’t bleed out and was still traveling but in this case it was unnecessary.

“Good shot David! I thought to try for a Doe but I didn’t think we needed it too and I was a bit concerned about trying it with a 9mm” Donnie said looking down at a nice 6 pointer.

I am glad he didn’t shoot too, no telling where that bullet would have gone I thought
. To be fair Donnie had not any range time so I was only going off of what Jack had said previously. I think I will warn the folks at the party today that we were going to have a little firing practice tomorrow so they didn’t think we were fighting a range war or something.

“Help me get his head pointing downhill and I will cut his throat and let him bleed and let the carcass cool down” I said grabbing the deer’s back legs while Donnie maneuvered the front.

“You think Jack will be back to investigate the shot” Donnie asked leaning against a tree in the shade.

“He probably will, he knows we took a shot at something and will most likely figure out we might have bagged some game” I said listening for the roar of the engine.

“I think I hear him coming, come on we will wave him down.” I said and hurried through the woods to get back to the road.

Upon seeing me and Donnie emerge from the wood line Jack looked around left and right while slowing to meet us and stopping the Lawn mower.

“You get a shot at something?” Jack said inquiringly

“Yea we got a Deer, he is off in the bushes about 50 yards from here.” I said smiling

“Way to go! I had just dumped those turkeys down by the Dock when I heard the shot and decided to see what it was about” Jack said dismounting the tractor and following us back through the brush where the deer lay.

“Even has a bit of a rack on him, you know any weird survival tricks for using the Horns David” Jack said half serious.

“No, just the usual stuff like making simple tools but we not stone age bush crafting out here” I replied smiling at my buddy.

“I can carry him up to the trailer” Donnie said starting to fireman carry the deer up to the trailer over his shoulder.

“You might want to wait a bit on that, Donnie. The carcass has not really cooled yet and all the fleas, ticks and mites will jump off him and onto you if you don’t wait a bit.” I advised.

“Oh yea, that makes sense” Donnie said

“Jack when we get back grab one of those extra poles we got and we can tie the deer’s legs together and it will be easier to tote him around.” I said and he agreed.

When we got back to camp I saw that the girls already had the boats loaded and ready to go. They had a wet sheet covering the turkeys in the bottom of the sail boat and the rest of the gear in the motor boat.

“I am taking the sailboat right David?” Sherry said matter of factly and pointed out how well she had stowed the turkeys and commented on how heavy they were.

“They didn’t help you carry them?” I said indicating the girls.

“Well Sandra did, but nobody else would touch them. They are kind of messy missing their heads an all, but I told them they could have just grabbed them by the wings or feet but they just made faces and excuses.” Sherry responded looking like she was the proud hunter of this quarry too.

“I guess we put the deer in with them, too.” I suggested eying what space was left

“Can you prop him up on the bow someway like a figure head? That would look so cool. Sherry said thinking of the great entrance she was going to make sailing in a boat load of wild game all by herself to the party.

“Yeah, I can rig him lying on his belly, but you can’t have him looking like he will butt something, because his neck will flop around too much. Jack give me a hand with this deer.” I said and wrestled it onto the boat and tied it down securely. I got to admit it did look quite impressive sprawled out with a leg on each side and its head secured to look forward by a cleat.

“Behold the mighty huntress and her sailboat.” I said displaying my creation.

“Tell Lois to give you that camo shotgun and wear your olive drab boonie hat and the picture will be complete” I said grinning at her while watching jack help my mom onto the Chris Craft.

“Hang on a minute; I want to get my hat.” Sherry said running to get it and wanting to go all out to my amusement.

“Jack you just hold down the fort here and I will be back in about 4 hours max to get you fed and takeover. I might even bring a nibble you can have on your way if everything goes to plan. I will do a commo check with you on the two way radio when we get there, but if we lack commo because of the range of those things just fire off three quick shots and we will come a running if you need us.” I said shook his hand.

“No worries, take care of Lois and save me lots of turkey” he said smiling as a frantic Sherry ran past him with her hat hanging down by its chin strap on her back and climbing into the sailboat to start getting ready to get under way.

“Sherry, now hold on a minute. I got a few things to go over with you. I have too pick up a few things off Franks dock and the others if anything’s there. You need to be just slowly tacking and zig zagging towards the boat ramp while I am doing that. I don’t want you to come into the boat ramp before I do. Now listen to me this is very important. I don’t know how deep that water is in front of that ramp. Get about 200 feet out from it and put the nose of your boat in the wind and calm the sail. Then crank that center board up at least halfway. There is no indicator to tell you when halfway is but you can sort of feel it and the way the boat handles. That centerboard is about 5 or 6ft long and will be tough to get it started at first from the locked down position, then come about and just barely sail in. Do NOT ram my Chris craft or drag bottom with that centerboard. Also remember, if you have to do another approach to the dock and turn around that the boat tips easy if you don’t have that board down to steady you.” I told her and reminded her to do exactly what I said and that I would signal her to swing out when I made my approach to the dock. “I might want to drive by it first, I won’t know until I see the gathering.”

“Ok David, I got it. I am going to raise the main sail and head out now and then when I get part way out I put the center board down and go for it right?” She said anxious to be off.

“And no playing in my wake, I told her remembering she had not had the experience of cresting the waves that boats throw out’ and not wanting her to start experimenting with the loaded sailboat for a new thrill even going slow.

She gave me a mischievous look and said ok and made sail.

I cranked my engine, and checked to be sure my passengers were ready before I slowly pulled away from the dock and watched Sherry getting the feel for a good wind and her load and starting her first tack. I put the boat about mid throttle and felt the surge of power as the front end of my boat came up and my group went speedily along towards Frank and Nancy’s.

“Donnie, grab that box and bag of charcoal when I pull alongside the pier” I said throttling down and coasting towards the dock.

“Don’t get your hands or arms between the boat and the Dock” I cautioned to my landlubber crew who were trying to help keep us from drifting into it while Donnie grabbed the supplies.

“Got it” Donnie said and motioned for me to carry on.

I put the boat in reverse and slowly cruised the front of the surrounding properties and piers which were all empty save one.

“Package pickup Donnie” I said pointing ahead two piers up.

“I see it” Donnie said and grabbed more charcoal and a big cast iron pot full of baked beans.

“See people made things” My mom said to me put out that I had prevented her from doing something similar.

“We are doing more than enough mom. You can help with those extras we brought when we get there I reassured her.

The Boat ramp was situated in the middle of what looked like a wharf with a few docks sticking out. I couldn’t really see what was above on the bluff and I pulled up to the first dock. Very soon a whole gaggle of people where wandering down happily babbling and introducing themselves as I unloaded my passengers and cargo and waved at Sherry to make her approach to the dock to the right of me.

I got her said Frank and went over to the next dock to receive her bowline when she came in. Everyone was friendly as hell but there were just too many people milling around and I didn’t catch half their names as Sherry started performing the tricky maneuvers I required of her to come into her slip.

I heard a Cajun accent next to me and felt a hand on my back as an old swamper with a craggy deep suntanned face said “That’s a fine looking pirogue you using for a meat wagon, I am Boudreaux” he said shaking hands beside me but not taking his eyes off the sailboat as Sherry cranked in the centerboard some. He pronounced his name BOOD-Row.

“Whee! Too much little lady, you can leave her down a might, you got pretty good portage here” He hollered to her about deafening me with that rebel yell of a ‘wheel’ to get her attention.

“Bring her on in” I yelled to Sherry and she straightened the boat out and made a remarkably easy landing.

“Hi Sherry! You got that thing looking like an Old Norse Viking Boat” Frank said to her as Boudreaux ambled over and made a sharp whistle at the deer and said something in what sounded like French.

"LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER, “I think he said meaning let the good times roll and a slogan for Mardi Gras.

“Permission to come aboard, Capt.’s?” Boudreaux addressed the Sherry and hopped down in the boat’s cockpit before Sherry could break her smiley face grin and answer him.

Boudreaux tugged off the wet sheet that was keeping the turkeys cool and announced loudly to whoever was listening, “Well bless us today if this little girl ain’t got us a whole boat load of turkeys for dinner. Damnation child you shoot this big Tom Gobbler with that there scatter gun? ""AIEEE!" "WE GON PASS A GOOD TIME, YEAH, CHER," "OO, I LOVE YOU LIKE A PIG LOVES CORN," he said hugging an overwhelmed Sherry like he had known her all her life.