Dark Days Rough Roads (13 page)

Mike
said, “Yes; couple months ago when we were in to visit.”

Kayla
said, “Dad, please, can’t they come with us? Mike and Mom helped get you here.”
That was partly true, especially about half an hour ago.

Kayla was
crying steadily now, “Dad please, can they stay with us?” Haliday sat down and
motioned for her to come over to him.

“I don’t
have room and food sweetie.” He looked at Mike and Linda who also were now in
tears. “I’ll tell you what though. I’ll take them back to Michigan and get them
to their friend Bill’s farm if they know for sure he’ll take them in.”

Mike said
he was positive Bill would take them in. He offered many times before that they
could come and stay if they ever wanted to return to Michigan. He was even more
convinced he could use their help with the farm in this situation. They were
sure of it and Haliday was convinced as well.

Linda
gave him a quick hug and said thank you. Kayla gave him a bigger hug. Mike told
him anything he needed him to do, let him know. “Good, because there is a lot
to be done. Grab some paper and write this down.” Linda grabbed a notebook and
took notes. Haliday left them very specific instructions on what to do. He told
them what to pack, no more, no less, what to do with the food in the house and
the rest of what he wanted them to grab.

Mike
said, “We’ll put it all in the truck.”

Haliday
said, “No, put it next to the truck. When I get up we are going to repack the
load in the Tahoe.” Haliday went over to their ham and told Dawn and his folks
he would be off the net for a few hours. “I’m going to go get some sleep. Wake
me in three hours and we’ll finish getting ready.

“You have
the list, get it all done and make sure someone stands guard. Don’t let anyone
in, including your neighbor the deputy.” Haliday went into the living room and
laid down on the couch. Just before he passed out, he was thinking it would be
nice to have the extra guns on the trip home, but questioned if they would do
what it might take if it came down to that.

“What the
hell?” he said as he jumped up. Something was licking his hand as it dangled
off the couch. Haliday looked down at the ground at this mutant dog. He
couldn’t figure out if it was supposed be a Chihuahua, border collie,
Pomeranian or what. Kayla said, “Good morning Dad.”

“Kayla,
what the hell is that?” he asked.

“That’s
Max.” Haliday thought great, by the time I get out of here that damn Tahoe is
going to look like something out of the Beverly Hillbillies.

“Kayla,
you expect to take him or can you leave him with the neighbors?”

Here came
the argument. “Did you give Romeo to the neighbor?” Haliday thought about that
a minute. Romeo was his Siamese cat that he had had for over 12 years and he
was 16 years old now. He, however, could be left for days on end and could fend
for himself. He had a two gallon watering dish and a gravity feeder that held
enough food for a month. He’d be fine; he was there now doing fine.

“Ok,”
Haliday said, “but if it comes down to it, Max is BBQ.” Kayla threw a shoe at
it him for saying that.

Haliday
grabbed a bottle of water, went into the bathroom, took care of business and
then gave himself a quick wash down covering the vital areas. He walked out to the
kitchen where everyone was sitting. Haliday was livid. “Who the hell is
watching the place?” he yelled? No one said anything.

Linda
said, “I thought since we were all up…” and Haliday interrupted her.

“Listen,
let someone get in here and you have to go look for a gun. It’s over if that
happens. We do as I say, and that’s final. Let’s go see what we have.”

Kayla
grabbed her AR and said, “I got it covered,” and stood watch while they went
over everything in the garage. Haliday told them to pull everything out of the
truck, which they did and then they repacked it. He asked them if they had
every ounce of jewelry and everything of value out of the house that was small
and might be worth trading. They did. Linda had grabbed a couple of photo
albums and Kayla grabbed a small box full of pictures.

Haliday
told Mike to grab his two gas cans he had seen and then meet him outside. They
drained the gas from their cars and filled the Tahoe and the gas cans. Haliday
wedged the gas cans between the KLR and the Tahoe. Room was tight. “Last thing
on the agenda, go put on black clothing. I don’t care what it is, but make sure
it’s black, plain black, no bedazzled or sequined anything either.

“Look
around, say goodbye to the house and what its meant to you and meet me by the
truck.” They went and changed and they met him back in the garage. They had
been crying again. It was like saying goodbye to your whole life. Taking very
few possessions was hard, but leaving the security of their home was harder.

“Mike,
you get the door. Linda get in the back seat. Kayla, you keep guard and I’ll
pull the truck out.” There was a small yapping sound and Haliday looked down at
Max and then at Kayla. “Knock it off, Dad; I know what you’re thinking.” He
clenched his teeth. Max was loaded up, Mike opened the door and Haliday pulled
the truck out of the garage. Kayla walked out behind it and then Mike closed
the garage door.

Kayla was
standing there with her rifle at low ready when they heard the neighbor. His
name was Tom. He cut through the bushes and asked Mike what was going on.
Haliday got out of the Tahoe and answered immediately. “We are leaving.”

Tom
looked at him and replied, "I recognize you, you’re Kayla’s dad. What are
you doing with this truck?"

“Mind
your own business. We’re leaving.” Tom had his duty belt on over his jeans and
put his hand on his pistol. Kayla raised her rifle and said, “Mr. Tom, not a
good decision.”

Tom
looked at them all. “You guys are breaking the law. You’re stealing government
property.”

Haliday
looked at him, drew his pistol out and aimed at Tom. Haliday was thoroughly
pissed off now. “Kayla, get in the truck, Mike, head down the street about 100
yards and then someone get out and cover me.” He looked at Tom and told him to
unbuckle his duty belt, drop it and then kick it over to him.

Tom said,
“You won’t shoot me; I’m a sheriff’s deputy.”

“Look
jackass. I spent the morning cleaning up the mess you and your fellow deputies
left at the intersection down the street. Now if you really want to try my
patience, please don’t.”

Mike
said, “Tom, you’re going to want to do what he says, trust me on this.” Tom
unbuckled his belt and let it drop before he kicked it over to Haliday. Mike
got in the truck and drove it down the street just a ways.

Haliday
bent down and picked the duty belt up. He pulled the pistol out and looked at
it. He took about 15 steps backwards and turned his head quickly to see Kayla
resting against the hood with her AR ready to go. Haliday jacked the slide back
on the pistol but no round came out. He looked at Tom. “Tom,” he said, “are you
that frigging stupid that you carry a pistol without one in the chamber?” Tom’s
lips parted and Haliday interjected, “Don’t answer.

“Here’s
the deal Tom, I’m going to walk back to the truck, and I’m getting in and
leaving. I’m going to leave your pistol on the sidewalk about halfway there. As
soon we leave, I suggest you go get it, put one in the chamber and keep it that
way. Forget you’re a cop, take care of your wife and leave it at that. Put
together as much food and water as you can and safeguard it like gold. Good
luck.”

Haliday
walked backwards for about 50 feet then unloaded the pistol and magazine. He
turned and jogged back toward the truck. He dropped the pistol on the grass
next to the sidewalk as he ran. He had noticed a few more neighbors outside
looking around. One said, “Hey buddy, thank you for this morning. The party
store owner was robbed and beaten, after that those hoodlums raped his wife.
He’s the one who cleaned up the last two guys this morning.” That had explained
a lot. Haliday simply nodded and jumped in the truck and they sped off.

Haliday
grabbed the mic and told Dawn and his parents they were on the way back. He
asked if they had heard anything. Bev said she heard the big cities were really
becoming a mess with a lot of looting and small riots. She heard that the
government was having a hard time responding anywhere because a lot of
equipment was unusable. Haliday asked them if anyone else made it in and she
told him no. Damn, he was certain that at least his brother David and David's
son Bobby would have made it there.

“Ok
folks, here’s the situation, I have extra company for now and we are going to
look at the best route back to avoid the issues that are arising. I can’t give
you a time line and I can’t guarantee regular check ins. Just make sure you
guys double-check your security and keep someone awake at all times. Take
turns, three hour shifts will you give enough of a break in between watches so
you can catch some sleep. Keep a pistol on you at all times too. I have a hell
of a trip to make trying to get back. Hopefully I’ll see you guys soon.”

*****

Dawn had
everyone meet back in the kitchen. “Look,” she said, “it’s getting really bad
out there right now and we need to make sure the house is secured. I’m not sure
it’s safe to go out yet and there’s no telling how long we will have to stay
here.” Dawn’s sister Diana asked her what Roger thought.

“Well,”
she said, “he’s quite busy right now and said to stay put and run tight security.
Everyone is going to have to take a turn watching the house.” Dawn’s mom Karen
asked her how long. “Three hours at a time is good.” She didn’t seem to like
that. “We don’t have a choice, get used to it. Let’s check the house.”

The three
of them started to double-check the windows and doors when Dawn heard Roger on
the ham. “Dawn, can you read me?” She answered yes. “Listen,” he said, “go to
A2.” This was an alternative frequency set up just for them. He did this in
case he needed to relay information that he didn’t want anyone else on their
net to hear. He did this for his mom and dad’s house too. He had something to
say he didn’t want Rich and Bev to hear.

“Roger
I’m here,” Dawn said on the radio.

Haliday
responded, “Look, my folks only have Sarah and her baby there. I’m not sure if
they are going to be able to hold down the fort long. They are closer to the
city than any of us and if the animals start taking to the streets and moving
into the suburbs quicker than I thought, then there’s going to be some real
problems there.

“You
might have to alter your plans, so get things ready. If I call and tell you to
get moving, then move out. You need to monitor the radio to keep in touch with
what’s going on out there. There will be a lot of exaggeration and panic, but a
lot of good info as well. Just pay attention to what happens close to you and
give me a SITREP when I call.”

“Got it,”
she said.

Dawn
flipped back to the other frequency and so did Roger. Bev said, “You guys
there?”

Roger
said, “Yes, is there a problem?” he asked.

“What
were you guys talking about?” she asked. Roger figured her curiosity would be
killing her.

“Dawn
sometimes doesn’t like to share information, she likes her privacy, and I was
making sure she didn’t need to tell me anything.”

“Oh,
because I changed frequency as well and didn’t hear anything.”

Roger
said, “That’s right, that’s why I gave you guy’s different frequency lists.
Security purposes,” he told her. Bev didn’t seem too happy with that.

Dawn and
her sister went and finished double-checking the doors and windows while her
mom kept watch. They went into the basement and came up with boards loaded with
nails. The boards were 1X6’s with three inch nails hammered through. They set
these by the windows and doors in case someone managed to get in. Anyone who
did make it in would impale themselves. And while it might not stop them, it
would surely slow them down.

Dawn went
out into the garage and started the generator for a couple of hours. She had a
custom muffler made and installed and it extended through the wall of the
garage and vented the exhaust outside. They had always lost power 6 or 7 times
a year minimum, and they got tired of restocking the refrigerator all the time.

Her
neighbors were used to the noise, even though it was fairly quiet. She used
this noise as a cover for her next check. She walked over to a 4X4 and tried to
start it. It fired right up. Good, she thought. It was a Polaris with a front
and back seat, complete with small trailer. Completely stock except the mods to
make sure it ran and the tires.

She went
back inside and told Diana they had to load up. She heard a knock on the door
and everyone looked at each other. She ran upstairs and looked down at the
porch where she saw her next door neighbor. She went downstairs to the door,
but didn’t open it. “What do you want?” she asked. The neighbor said he heard
her generator and asked if he could plug in an extension cord. Dawn said,
"Remember the window your son broke playing catch with his friend that you
never paid for? Go screw yourself.”

“You
bitches,” he replied. He left mumbling under his breath as he walked away.