When The Fault Breaks: Life Will Never Be The Same Page 26

  "My great, great grandfather came here over a hundred years ago and built it with his own hands. As you can see it's in great shape and I've made a few improvements to it over the years. It uses a micro hydro generator so we always have power. I installed modern appliances for Elaine, you have to keep the little woman happy if you want to be happy."

  Elaine laughed and said, "Your damn tooting."

  "The cabin has hot and cold running water and is well lit. I'm sure y-all saw the hanger out back for the helicopter, so all and all we're as ready as we can be here."

  Bill asked, "Ready for what?"

  "READY FOR WHAT!!? Are you nuts!? Where the hell have you been this last year? We have known for years that this country was only a single catastrophic event away from failure. We've been getting ready for it all along."

  "Over the last few years we've been improving the cabin and stocking it with at least four years' worth of food and other goods including over a thousand gallons of fuel for the helicopter and gas for any other use. There is enough to keep me flying for several years depending on what I do. My family was super rich so I have enough spare parts here to almost rebuild the chopper, I even have a complete spare motor and rotor."

  You could see Fred's eyebrows rise, he asked, "How do you keep that much fuel good for that long?"

  "It's not hard to keep AV gas good for far more than two years. First when I brought the fuel up we transferred it from the barrel it was in into a new one that was filled with nitrogen gas. We passed the fuel through a couple really good filters to trap any impurities including microscopic water."

  "That takes care of most of the causes of it going bad, and then before we closed it up we topped off the nitrogen to ensure there was no contact with oxygen, and then sealed it up. Finally, when we pump it into the helicopter we pass it through a fuel polisher to ensure there is nothing in it we don't want."

  "I flew in pigs, chickens, pheasants, goats, turkeys, and some cows. We will not be lacking any meats here."

  Ed asked, "Aren't you worried about someone trying to steal any of it or something?"

  "We've been coming here for years and have never seen any sign that anyone's ever found this place. Like I said before there are no roads here, we had to fly in."

  "How far UP valley have you flown?"

  "I flew up to the pass and landed about a year ago; I spent two days there watching for smoke. Then I flew low down the other side for at least a hundred miles. That was why I was a bit concerned when you said you came from there. I did not see any signs of humans down that valley either."

  Fred replied, "That's because we did not get there until the later part of last summer."

  Alex asked, "How many of ya are there?"

  "There is total of seventy-one of us there, we have several farms growing everything we need to live and then some. We plan on building a large stockpile of food, just in case, and as a means of trading when we can."

  "Well I may well be interested in doing just that with ya. It sure would be nice to have some fresh fruits and vegetable that we don't already have. With only the four of us here we are limited on what we can grow."

  "Well besides fruits and vegetables we also have grains like wheat, rice, corn, oats and soy."

  "Do you have the means to grind the grains as well?"

  "We sure do, we built a mill on the riverbank, driven by the water."

  "Then I am sure we can come to a deal we all can live with."

  Fred spoke up, "As a matter as a fact I think we can, we want to know what is down valley from where we are and an aerial view would be great."

  "Well Fred I certainly could fly down that way, but I'm not sure you want me to. If we do and we fly over someone they will know we came down from above and have a reason to go up."

  "Damn, you are right Alex, what do you have in mind?"

  "If we came up from below and only flew up as far as y-all searched down and turned around, anyone below would think that was where we came from."

  "Why don't you guys think about the offer and let me know what ya plan."

  "We will do that Alex."

  Alex added, "Sometime later this year I plan on heading to a place east of here, there is a huge warehouse for all the big sporting goods stores. Only a handful of people know about it and it's not on any main roads."

  "How do you know about it?"

  "Cuz I got a most of these here supplies from there, I got it wholesale and picked it up from the warehouse by helicopter, so I know we can land there. While we are out we can head over your way and fly up valley watching for civilization. We fly as far as we need then turn around and folla the ridge back from the other direction. Then ifin someone does see us they'll come a looking for us in the wrong direction."

  "That sounds great Alex it seems like you have done this before."

  "That's cuz I have Peter, it's how I brought everythin here. I didn't want no one to know I'm here, and until y-all showed up no one ever has."

  "We'll have to discuss that when we get home, maybe we will take you up on the supply run, there are some things we need."

  "Alright Peter you're welcome to join me, I saw that sniper rifle Floyd was carrying, it would be nice to have a gunner in case we're attacked."

  "How well do you know the region?"

  "Pretty darn good Peter why?"

  "I want to see if we can find an older sawmill that uses the old circular Bell saw blades. It's the one thing we can't make to mill wood for building."

  "There's one down valley from here, I flew lots a wood from here to it to get milled, it was cheaper."

  "Okay then Alex, we will have to work out the details but I'm sure that is the easy part."

  "How bout I give you guys a tour of our spread?"

  "That would be great, from a distance it looks like you have a nice place here."

  Alex led us out and showed us his barn and fields, then we headed to the big building we saw from the overlook.

  "So Alex is that the hanger?"

  "It sure is Floyd."

  As we entered through a small door on the side of the building, Alex turned on the lights and there it was, a big beautiful helicopter shiny and clean.

  "Holy shit that thing is nice."

  "Thanks Fred, she's a Whitetrack EC120, she seats four and can be configured to carry a very large payload."

  Floyd asked, "What type of fuel does it use?"

  "She runs on high octane aviation fuel, kind of like a real high octane gas."

  Right about then we heard the ring of the triangle and Elaine saying dinner was ready. As we approached the house we could smell the ham cooking. When we sat at the table it was covered with scalloped potatoes, corn, collard greens, biscuits and the best ham we've seen in a year.

  That night after dinner Alex opened a bottle of Patron and we talked by the fire long into the night about our new world and told each other's stories.

  Ed was the first to spin his yarn.

  "I remember one day many years ago, Bill and I were out for a night on the town heading back to the city. It was late and we were riding the BART when this girl sat down next to me and started up a conversation."

  Bill chimed in, "She was clearly into him."

  Ed turned to Bill and gave him that look, you know the type when your girlfriend is not too happy with something you said or did.

  "I got this, it's my story you can wait your turn, but Bill is right this girl was interested in me but she was not my type because Bill here is. Bill sat there like we did not know each other and I did nothing to lead this young lady on, but she did not seem to take the hint and continued to flirt.

  At one point she held her boobs in her hands and asked me if I liked them and said she hoped so because they cost her a small fortune. Then she told me to go ahead and feel them. I couldn't believe it was happening. I always thought it was just a Hollywood thing, that girls didn't do that. Out of curiosity, and wondering what fake boobs felt like, I said okay and took both
her boobs in my hands and squeezed them. They seemed nice, if you were into those things."

  Alex jumped in and said, "You liked it, and you know it."

  "Not really, I don't swing that way, Bill here is more my type."

  You could see the look of realization as he figured out Ed and Bill were a couple.

  "I see… then maybe not." We all had a little laugh at that.

  "Anyway, the next stop was ours and when Bill and I got up to get off the train we took each other's hands and looked back at her and I blew her a kiss as we departed."

  Fred responded, "Figures it's always the gay guys that women hit on like that, it never happens to me."

  "There may be a reason for that Fred."

  "Yea, yea, yea, I get it."

  Ed turned to Bill and said, "Okay, NOW it's your turn."

  Bill replied, "That's okay I don't really have any good stories to tell."

  "Come on Bill let's hear one."

  "I'm sorry Ed, but I really don't feel up to it."

  I said, "That's okay Bill, you don't have to. What about you Fred, do you have any good stories? Being ex-Army you have to have some kind of horror story or something. It doesn't have to be funny, it can be anything."

  "Well there is this one I could tell, but it was not all that long ago. Funny Peter you know all about this one."

  I looked over to Fred and shook my head with that I WILL kill you look.

  "Don't do it old man, don't go there."

  Alex asked, "Don't go where?"

  "Peter here doesn't want me to tell everyone about what happened to him on our trip here."

  "That's right I don't, but if you really feel the need to have fun at my expense..."

  "Okay, if you don't mind."

  "I do mind, but you are going to any way aren't you?"

  "I sure am. We were a few days up that incredible valley we all loved so much when it happened. Peter and I were riding in my ATV and stopped the column. Everyone else was setting up for the night and Peter and I went for a walk to check the area out."

  "Fred I'm warning you don't go there."

  Shaking his hands like he was acting afraid Fred said, "OOOOO I'm shaking in my boots."

  "Well you should be, if you do it you should be afraid, you should be very afraid."

  Now Ben had to hear what had happened to me, so he added, "Come on Peter let him tell us."

  "All right Fred but you have been warned."

  "So we were a half mile ahead of everyone when Peter took a step to close to a bank with a huge mud hole below and it was really deep too. You should have seen it, he was walking in front of me talking one minute and gone the next. I ran up to make sure he was all right when I saw him.

  It was the funniest thing I ever saw, he looked like a huge walking mud Yeti. I promised him as he climbed out in the stream that I would not tell anyone but…"

  The place broke out in laughter, everyone but me that is. I was not too happy about that, but I guess if it helps morale it's all good.

  Fred spoke up, "Alright squidly lets hear one of those tall sea stories that squids are so famous for."

  "Hmmm. That is a tough one. Okay, we were in the Indian Ocean on patrol one day when I saw this mermaid swimming along with us like a dolphin riding the bow waves."

  Ben responded, "Funny Peter, real funny."

  "All right this is no shit, it really happened. I was stationed on a sub tender in Rota Spain when I was seventeen. We were out on a rare underway trip to Palma Majorca Spain for some well-deserved rest. As soon as we got into international waters a Russian trawler started to approach our ship. The ship kept getting closer and closer and the Captain called in the Spanish Air Force to fly out and show them the errors of their ways.

  Within a few minutes a Spanish harrier screamed over us. He flew around and came to stop some distance above the Russian ship and hovered. Little by little the jet started to lower over the ship like he was landing on it. You could see the heat from his engines roaring down on the crew of their ship.

  It was the funniest thing to watch, their sailors were holding their hands over their heads bent over and running for cover inside their ship. It did not take long for the Russian ship to get the message and it turned away and took off. It was so cool we were all cheering the pilot for his move.

  Before the pilot left he turned his jet on its side so we could see the bottom of his plane and here was this huge Spanish flag painted on it. As he flew by he waved his wings in a salute. It was so cool to watch it."

  Alex asked, "Okay Peter, real or another sea story?"

  "Very real, I decided to keep it clean and end our fire on a good note. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready for some sleep."

  Everyone else went off to bed then too. We spent the night there sleeping in the barn, the next morning we woke up to an unforgettable smell in the air.

  Floyd raised his head and with flaring nostrils sniffing the air he took in three deep breaths.

  "Is that bacon I smell?"

  Fred was already up and replied, "It sure is Floyd I have been savoring it for several minutes now and am heading in."

  "Don't eat all of it before we get there Fred."

  "Hey if you snooze you lose Peter, so you better get moving too."

  Everybody had a good laugh and we all headed in together. As we entered the house Elaine was waiting for us.

  "I see y-all followed your noses in this morning, coffee boys?"

  "How could we miss it Elaine, it smells great and yes please, black for me."

  Everyone else echoed my request.

  While we were eating we made plans on getting back when Alex spoke up.

  "So how'd ya guys like a lift home?"

  Ben jumped up, "Hell yea, I have never been in a helicopter before."

  "Well I can only take three of you at a time so it will have to be two flights, but it is not that far so it'll be quick."

  I spoke up, "I think that's a great idea, it's very nice of you to offer Alex."

  Alex replied, "I must admit I have my own motives. First I'd like ta see what y-all have going on over there, and I'd love to meet more of ya people."

  "Okay then, Fred you Ben and Floyd go on the first flight and the rest of us will come on the second one. Fred make sure you get to the fort I want to fly over and not get shot down."

  "Alright Peter, I'll let everyone down-valley know what is going on when we get back."

  "Then Alex when you bring the rest of us back, we'll give you a tour of our community and you can see what we have to trade.

  "That sounds great Peter."

  Ben was beside himself getting to ride in a helicopter.

  Excitedly he asked, "So when do we go."

  Everyone laughed at his giddiness.

  "We can go any time ya want, I jist did my weekly service yesterday so she ready to fly."

  With a full mouth Fred mumbled, "I don't know about you, but I'm not going anywhere until I finish this incredible breakfast." Then he washed it down with a nice hit on his coffee. You could see the pleasure in his body.

  "So besides the seating, I can carry a sling load under as we fly. Is there anything you guys could use that we can fly in on the first trip? One we can just drop and go?"

  Without a second thought Fred replied, "Yea if you can afford any of the gas we sure could use it."

  "Sure I could spare a couple barrels, we can work it out when we get there."

  "That's great, thanks Alex I'm sure we can."

  It took about a half hour to get the helicopter out of the hanger and ready to fly. As soon as Fred, Floyd and Ben were all belted in with helmets on, they took off. The flight only took about fifteen minutes to make it home. As my ranch came into view Fred showed Alex where to land in the field.

  Meanwhile back at my ranch Ann and the girls were working out in the fields when…

  "What is that sound?"

  "I'm not sure Ann but it sounds like a helicopter."

 
"Grab the gun's ladies and let's get under cover."

  From the trees they saw a large helicopter with a net under it fly past then come back in for a landing. They were all surprised at who climbed out of the copter.