Day 37
Herbert was exhausted, but he felt safer for the first time in too long. He’d spent the night lending his eyes and weapons to watching the camp perimeter, making sure they weren’t attacked.
Except for distant headlights on the road a mile away, nothing moved.
Pheebz gave him a big hug before heading to help with breakfast.
The boys were still sleeping under a tree along with a few of the other kids, all snoring softly as the adults began their day.
Darlene had filled the group in on what the Sawyer clan had been doing and what they’d seen. She left nothing out of her story, which Herbert thought was a good thing. Better to lay it all on the table and fully join in with these people.
There was strength in numbers.
“We know of another group on the other side of Chico,” Phil said. “Another thirty people. They had vehicles but when they were attacked the cars were left behind and taken.” He shook his head. “It can’t be like this everywhere. There has to be a spot where we can all live in harmony and help one another.”
“There is,” Herbert said. “We just need to find it. Have you thought about moving east or north? We were headed in that basic direction. Maybe Canada or a more central spot.”
Phil shook his head. “We’re split on whether or not to abandon what we have right now. We can see anyone coming, it’s a defendable position, and we can live off of the land for a while. It’s hard to argue with that, especially when you have no idea what’s happening in a county or state over. We might be playing in the woods while the rest of the world is back to normal, but I don’t think so. Not with what we’re hearing on the radio.”
“Fair enough.” Herbert didn’t think his plan was wrong. Why walk into the unknown when you knew what you had here? It definitely made sense.
Heck, if the Sawyers hadn’t burned us off the farm, we’d still be there, Herbert thought.
Phil smiled. “Follow me. I want to show you something.”
Herbert was led to the other end of the small valley, still in sight of the camp. He noticed they passed two women with rifles on guard duty.
Three thick trees formed a triangle, with thick brush coming up to Herbert’s waist.
“Help me pull some of this away,” Phil said.
When Herbert helped to yank some of the thick branches away he smiled.
Six wooden barrels were inside the natural formation between the trees.
Phil put a hand on the first one. “Hand-held weapons. Maybe fifty.” He touched another barrel. “Ammo for just about anything we’re carrying and then some.”
“Impressive,” Herbert said.
Phil pointed at the other barrels. “Dried food. Milk jugs full of water. Socks and shirts. Blankets. Even some toys for the kids. This is the extra, in case we need to run. The hope is we can circle back and grab it without anyone the wiser.”
“You have a nice system here,” Herbert admitted. “Now I can see why some don’t want to leave.”
They headed back to the camp, Herbert taking it all in. He’d always been the leader in his life. The alpha male, as some would say. Now he was just an old man trying to help out whichever way he could.
Herbert liked it. He was part of the group but didn’t have to make decisions. He hoped Phil and the others would ask his opinion from time to time. He’d need to get to know everyone. Gain their trust. See who was who.
At some point today he’d need to talk to his family and Darlene, too. Get an idea what they were thinking. Maybe they didn’t want to stay and chance a trip.
How will you vote on that? I’d stay, Herbert thought. Pheebz will want to stay, too.
He watched his wife, helping with the cooking, smiling and laughing with the other women. She caught him staring at her and winked.
Man, I love that woman. If anything were to happen to her…
“The boys are having a good time but I’m bored,” Rosemary said, coming over to Herbert. “How about you?”
“I’ll take bored over being attacked any day.”
Rosemary shrugged. “I suppose. I should be helping with the cooking but you know how I am with eating animals.”
Herbert groaned. “If I put a cheeseburger in your face right now, you wouldn’t eat it?”
“No,” Rosemary said, but Herbert knew she was lying.
“The world has changed, Ro. You can’t be worrying about the animals and the plants. You need to eat them so you don’t die. It’s really not that complicated.” Herbert smiled at her. “Maybe they need help with the veggies.”
Rosemary shrugged. “Maybe I’ll take another nap.”
Herbert was worried about her. She’d seemed to have lost her spark after the attack. She hardly talked, and when she did it was to complain. He also worried for the boys, because Ro was everything to them.
Terri came back into camp with a rifle over her shoulder. She’d also volunteered for guard duty, and she’d been happier than Herbert had ever seen the girl. It definitely had a lot to do with Phil and the looks he was giving her.
It would be Herbert’s turn to guard tomorrow afternoon if he remembered the way the schedule worked. He’d need to ask to make sure. He didn’t want to be the old man who didn’t help out a day or two into their stay and create a problem.
He could hear the radio being turned on across the camp and he sighed. If there was going to be news it was going to be bad. Just a gut feeling. Yesterday had been nothing except a couple of idiots arguing over who was going to take responsibility for the attacks.
Where was the government and the military so far?
“Everyone needs to hear this,” Phil was shouting. “Hurry.”
Herbert moved as fast as his knees would allow him, getting to the group huddled around the radio just as everyone began talking loudly.
“What’s going on?” Herbert asked Terri, who had begun to cry.
She couldn’t stop to tell him what was happening.
Rosemary came over and hugged Herbert. “They nuked Mexico and Canada. We’re going to die.”