Home Coming (The Survivalist Book 10) by A. American (ebook reader .TXT) 📕

“Thanks. There was nothing we could do. It happened pretty fast.”

Mom picked at her cracker. “I’m very sorry.”

As we were eating, an old man at the table beside us turned and asked, “How did you get gas for that boat?”

“We did something with the government,” Sarge said. “They gave it to us.”

“What’s the government doing?” The man asked. “I haven’t heard anything out of them.”

Hearing that made me realize I hadn’t listened to the radio in a long time and knew nothing of what may be going on. But with the old man’s contacts, I’m sure if there were something I needed to know about, I would.

We spent the rest of the evening telling the group some of the things that had happened, as we know them. We made a point to not engage in speculation with any of the crazy theories some had. These people have been in a total vacuum since The Day. And here we were, from the outside with tales they couldn’t imagine.

“What do you mean the Russians invaded?” A woman asked.

“They didn’t invade, at least according to them,” Sarge replied. “They claimed they were here to help. Purely humanitarian.”

“What are we going to do about them?”

“They’ve already been dealt with,” I replied.

As surprised as the people were hearing about the Russians, they were shocked when they were told that we nuked a Chinese fleet and they retaliated against Tampa.

“Did we strike them back?” A man asked.

“No,” Sarge replied, shaking his head. “It was decided it was best not to. No sense in turning it into a full exchange; we have enough trouble.”

“I agree with that,” a woman replied as she took a bite of fish.

Another man walked up and surveyed our group. “What I want to know is, what the hell is the government doing? We haven’t seen a soul from the government since all this started. What the hell are those people doing?”

“All we know is, the Department of Defense is in charge now. The President invited the foreigners in and the DOD kicked them out,” Sarge replied.

“So, where’s the President?”

“In a hole underground,” I replied.

“Not anymore,” Sarge replied, surprising me.

“What?” I asked.

“Yeah. I got word right before we left. They got him out last week. He’s in custody now.”

“That’s not right! With everything that’s going on already and now there’s a coup?”

“It was for the best,” Sarge replied.

“For the best? It’s as wrong as it could be!” The woman shouted back. “We shouldn’t be living in a police state!”

This made me laugh out loud. “A Police State? You’ve already said you haven’t seen a soul since things changed. If you think about it, what does it matter who is in charge?”

“So, what?” The woman asked. “We just wait here to be hauled off to camps then?”

“Ma’am, why would anyone want to haul you off to a camp?” Danny asked.

“What else does a Police State do?” She replied.

“We haven’t seen one lately,” I replied. “We did take one down months ago and freed all the people.”

The woman looked incredulous. “I don’t believe that.”

A man came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Come on, Maureen. I think you’re worked up enough now. Let’s go home.”

The woman leveled a finger at me. “I don’t believe you. And what’s with that badge? You part of this coup?”

“No ma’am. I try to provide the people of my community with some level of law enforcement. My days are spent dealing with stolen chickens and theft in general. It’s not fun and I didn’t want the damn job.”

Sarge reached out and slapped me on the back. “But you’re doing a hell of a job!”

Thankfully, the man managed to pull Maureen away as she was about to spout off again. My head was starting to hurt, and I told Dad I was going outside. Mom started chatting Danny and Sarge up as Dad and I walked outside. We wandered down to the river and stood at the edge of the dark water. I reached into my pocket and took out the can of Cope. It was now less than half of a can I noticed as I lifted the top.

I turned on my flashlight and held it out. Dad looked at it in utter disbelief. As he took a pinch, he asked, “Where in the hell did you get that?”

“It came from Eglin. We have a couple of first rate scrounges in our merry band.”

He held the can back out and I took a pinch for myself. “Let me see that light,” Dad said. I handed it over.

He clicked it on and shined it at the far bank of the small cove of the marina. He laughed and clicked it off. Then back on. “I haven’t seen an artificial light in, well, I can’t remember.”

“That’s why I want you guys to come with me. Life is much better back at home, I promise.”

Dad spit into the water, the slight splash the only indication he did. “How in the world do you have power?”

“You remember that little solar setup I had?” Dad nodded, and I continued. “Well, it’s been a lifesaver. But it shouldn’t matter soon.”

“Why not?”

“We’re working to restore power. That little gas turbine at the orange juice plant is up and running. It took us some time and the help of a bunch of Army engineers, but it’s functioning now and we’re clearing lines and moving it out our way. We restored Eustis right before the attack. I mean, we had the power there, but hadn’t turned in on yet. But everything was damaged so bad, we had to abandon that idea.”

“Hard to believe. When this shit started, I figured it was the end. But if you guys can manage to restore power in your little town. Maybe there’s a chance.”

“There’s always a chance. Unless you’re dead; and we ain’t dead yet. So, we keep going, trying. What else is there to do?”

We stayed at Mom and Dad’s that night. Being a nice guy, I let