After the Republic (13 page)

“Well, I can’t promise that we
will
have vegetarian options. We’ll all have to get out of our comfort zone to survive.” Caroline frowned and groaned. Joshua continued, “However, that brings me to my next point. If you have experience farming or gardening, we will need you to put those skills to use. Rebecca and I are amateurs at best.”

“I grew up on a farm,” Thomas chimed in. “We grew corn, soybeans and had a huge garden.”

“Good,” Joshua said. “We will need to consider two parts of our agriculture operation, animals and crops. Rebecca and I have a few cows, and we need to keep them alive. Thomas is bringing a bull, so we can hopefully expect the herd to grow and provide a secondary meat source.”

“Secondary?” Perry asked

“Secondary to whatever our hunting and fishing efforts yield. Thomas is also getting a couple of dairy cows. We should have those tomorrow. Rebecca and I have chickens, which will provide both eggs and meat. The biggest challenge will be protecting them from predators.”

Chuck Jones raised his hand. A hulking African-American, he had played linebacker in college, worked as a deputy sheriff and later started a security consulting firm. “Our dogs, Ace and Sampson, are Great Pyrenees. Their breed is often used to protect livestock from predators. They’ve always just been pets to us, but we’d be glad to put them in the area you fence in for the cows and chickens and see if they help.”

“Thanks, Chuck,” Joshua said. “We’ll take you up on that. Additionally, at the appropriate time we will need to begin planting and growing vegetables and, if possible, some fruits. If any of you have experience canning or otherwise preserving food, please see Rebecca after this meeting. We’ll also need to protect our crops from deer and other animals that will try to eat them.”

“Any deer or anything else that tries to eat our plants should become our next meal,” Jack said.

Joshua chuckled. “I cannot understate the importance of getting started shoring up our food supply
today
. If we don’t, we’ll be in dire straits in very short order. Anyone who doesn’t have experience with hunting, fishing or farming and is willing to learn, let me know.”

“Over the next two days, we should try to get everything we need from outside the camp,” Joshua continued. “Bob will work with Thomas to coordinate trips to stores, farmers’ markets and other sites in the area. We’ll take different vehicles and people each time. That will allow us to ensure that every vehicle in the camp has a full tank of gas, and will also help avoid drawing unnecessary attention.”

“How will that help avoid drawing attention to us?” Perry asked.

Joshua explained. “Well, all of us except Thomas are brand-new to this area. If a brand-new person to a small area like this suddenly starts showing up at the same store over and over, locals will notice. We don’t want to be noticed. For safety purposes either Bob, Kane or Jack will go along on every trip outside of the camp for now. We don’t know what’s going on out there and should take every possible precaution. We’ll begin trips to area stores and markets tomorrow morning, so please let Rebecca know of anything you think we need. She’ll be keeping the master list. Are there any more questions?”

Sheri raised her hand.

“Yes, Mrs. Jones?”

Sheri put her arms around two of her children. “Chuck and I have our three children with us. There obviously isn’t a school in the camp. We don’t know if there are schools nearby, and even if there are, based on what I’m hearing we shouldn’t enroll our children there as that would draw attention to us. We want them to continue their education somehow.”

Andrea raised her hand. “I’m a teacher, and Jack and I want Billy to continue his education. I don’t have any supplies here but I’d be willing to help with that as best I can.”

“We have a few books,” Rebecca chimed in.

“Man, I’ve got all kinds of books up in my cabin,” Thomas added. “Y’all are welcome to use any of ‘em.”

“Thanks, Andrea,” Joshua said. “I appreciate you taking the lead and will do what I can to help. Are there other questions or comments?” This time, none were forthcoming. “We’ve got a lot to do. We are adjourned.”

After the meeting Joshua and Perry caught up with Thomas. “Thomas, thanks again for everything. I don’t know what we would have done if you had not been so gracious as to allow us to come here.”

“Don’t sweat it. Glad to do it. I’m sure y’all will help me out, too.”

Drew, sporting a pair of khakis and a blue dress shirt with red suspenders, walked up as Thomas finished his sentence. He spoke in his usual nasally voice. “Thomas, thank you for nominating me for council. I was starting to worry that I wasn’t going to be nominated. I am honored to serve.” Drew blew his nose into a handkerchief, resulting in a honking noise that sounded remarkably like a duck call.

“No problem, man.”

“Did I just hear what I
think
I heard?” Perry asked Joshua after Drew and Thomas left them. “Did Drew really say he was
worried
that he wouldn’t be nominated?”

“I think so.” Joshua shook his head.

Everyone got busy unpacking and setting up the camp. Thomas greeted his workers and immediately took three of them up the path to Drew’s cabin. Bob and Kane erected a metal pole in front of Joshua’s house and raised the American flag. Joshua and Rebecca invited John and Ruth to stay with them until they made other arrangements, and Joshua was pleased to learn that Jim and his family would be staying with Drew.

After the unloading was complete the delicious aroma of grilling hamburgers permeated the camp. Jim said grace and everyone gathered around Joshua’s front porch. Some sat on the steps, others on folding chairs they had brought with them, and others on the ground. Joshua and Rebecca sat with Jim’s family and the others sat grouped with their own families. Reagan and the other dogs paid close attention to the hamburgers and were even treated to a few scraps. An eerie quiet infiltrated only by the low murmur of people quietly talking with their families overcame the camp.

“Jim, you’ve always had good insight into people. How do you think everyone is doing?” Joshua asked.

“Hard to tell.” Jim wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “I think everyone is still a bit on edge, but glad we made it here in one piece. Generally nervous about what the future holds.”

Joshua nodded as he took another bite of his burger.

After lunch Drew and two of Thomas’ contractors headed back up the path to his cabin. Jack, Perry, Chuck, Thomas and Jim teamed up to erect a fence for the cows, a job made easier by some extra posts Thomas provided, while Bob and Kane took their rifles and disappeared into the woods. Reagan watched the fence construction project from a distance.

***

Bob pushed his way through the thick underbrush. Kane silently followed him as they made their way to the secluded area where they had camped under the stars the night before. Upon arrival Bob did a quick scan to make sure no one else was in earshot, then got down on one knee and motioned for Kane to join him. Kane dropped to one knee and removed his hat.

“Martin, something fishy is up with that Drew Thompson character,” said Bob. “Go see if you can get eyes on what he is unloading.”

“Yes, sir!” Kane donned his hat, retrieved a dark green backpack and began traversing the thick underbrush near their campsite. After some time the back of Drew’s cabin came into view. Kane dropped to the ground and crawled toward the edge of the woods. He camouflaged himself with a ghillie suit and studied the scene with a small telescope.

Drew’s moving trailer was backed up to the side door, so close that Thomas’ workers could step directly from the trailer into the cabin. Kane watched as the workers carried black bags from the truck through the living area into a hall.
Command Sergeant Major Kendall will want to know what’s in those bags and where they’re storing them
, he thought.

Kane crawled to a different vantage point that offered a view through another window. The workers were still moving bags and placing them in a closet. Kane gritted his teeth, irritated that he could not tell what was it the bags.
Command Sergeant Major will want more information.
After the process repeated several times he retreated from his position and quietly slipped away into the woods.

***

The fencing crew had enclosed a small area and moved the cows from their temporary fence. “We’ll have to expand this over time,” Perry said. “But it’s a start.”

Chuck brought Ace and Sampson to the newly fenced in area. The cows were spooked by the new arrivals, but the dogs seemed right at home. Reagan seemed unsure about these giant, shaggy white behemoths.

Joshua and Perry built a chicken coop adjacent to the cattle fence, used some leftover wood to build nests and released the chickens into the coop. Joshua did a head count: five red hens, four speckled gray ones and three white ones, plus two roosters: one red, the other a speckled gray dominecker. The chicken coop included a shelter, roosts, nests and a wire roof to keep predators out.

“We’ll keep them locked up for a few days and then start letting them roam some during the day,” Joshua said.

***

Kane silently made his way through the woods from Drew’s cabin to their campsite in the woods, where Bob was waiting.
Command Sergeant Major is going to be disappointed that I could not discern what was in the bags
, he thought. He felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead.

Bob got straight to the point as Kane reached their campsite. “What did you find out, Martin?”

“Sir, the workers were unloading a large quantity of black bags from the travel trailer into the cabin. They were storing them in a closet in the home.”

“What was in them?”

Kane looked down at his feet. “I was unable to get eyes on what was in the bags. I apologize, sir.”

Bob put his hand on Kane’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Martin. Another opportunity will present itself. Regardless, we need to keep our eyes on that boy.”

***

Joshua’s heart warmed when he entered the cabin. The tan couch, love seat and two leather recliners from their farmhouse were in place in the living area. His parents’ family Bible was displayed in one corner. The print of George Washington at the signing of the U.S. Constitution hung over the couch, as it had at their farmhouse.

“So, what do you think?” Rebecca asked.

“Wow! This actually looks like home!”

He walked down the hall to the first bedroom. It was empty, except for a mattress on the floor; this was where John and Ruth would be sleeping. In the second bedroom his desk and office chair were in place and books were stacked on the floor. Joshua felt a lump form in his throat when he saw the framed, folded American flag that had belonged to his grandfather during World War II hanging above the desk.

Their bed was assembled in the master bedroom and the sheets and comforter were in place. Joshua and Rebecca’s wedding picture hung on one wall and a casual picture of him and Rebecca on their beloved farm hung on another.

Even the washing machine, dryer, refrigerator and kitchen table were in place.

Joshua fought back a tear as he gave Rebecca a bear hug. “I can’t believe it!”

“Well, if we’re going to be here, we should make the best of it.,” Rebecca said. “Thomas’ workers were a godsend. And I’m still amazed we were able to stuff everything into that trailer.”

Joshua’s excitement faded as he looked out the window. He heaved a despondent sigh as he spotted Perry’s camper trailer just across the clearing. Jack’s camper trailer was barely visible down a trail on the opposite side of the clearing and Chuck’s RV was parked up the hill near a scraggly old tree.

“I almost feel guilty.” He looked down at the floor. “We’re living in this nice cabin, and it’s almost like nothing has changed.” He pointed out the window. “These guys are staying in campers and RVs.”

“
Don’t!
” Rebecca admonished him. “They wouldn’t even
be
here if it weren’t for you.” Joshua hesitated, then shrugged and nodded.

Joshua jumped as the sound of a gunshot rang out. “What the?” Then another shot. Reagan yelped and darted toward the back of the cabin. Joshua grabbed his rifle and headed out the door and Rebecca followed, her .380 in her back pocket. Perry and Chuck were already in the clearing, guns in hand, and Jack was running down the hill with his 30:06 hunting rifle.

“Where did that shot came from?” Joshua asked in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

Perry pointed left. “That way, I think. Toward the lake.” Chuck nodded in agreement.

“Any sign of Bob or Kane?” Joshua’s heart raced.

Everyone shook their heads. Joshua took a deep breath, raised his .22 and began slowly walking in the direction of the shot. The others fanned out and followed his lead.

“It’s us!” Bob emerged from the thick woods.

Joshua exhaled and lowered his rifle. “Who fired the shots?”

“Martin.”

“What happened?”

Before Bob could answer Kane worked his way up the hill into the clearing, a large deer draped over his shoulders. “Our first kill, sir!”