When The Fault Breaks: Life Will Never Be The Same Read online

  After watching for others and not seeing anyone else, Alex told the girls to stay in sight and slowly brought the helo in for a landing with the sniper rifle still trained on them. With the rotors still turning Doug jumped out and searched the women for weapons and found none. He quickly went through the house and barn and found no one and motioned to Alex it was all clear. With that Alex shut down the helo and joined Doug and the ladies.

  Chapter 42: The Damsels' in Distress

  The ladies were clearly in bad shape and in need of help. Doug gave them each a couple of MREs which they attacked while Alex and Doug asked them about their story.

  "Howdy ladies, my name's Alex and this here is ma friend Doug what's y-all's names?"

  A very skinny blond replied, "I'm Lydia and this is my best friend, Nina. We found this house just before winter and have been staying here ever since. There was enough food here for us for the winter but that ran out some time ago."

  Doug asked, "So why didn't you move on when it ran out?"

  Nina, also clearly malnourished, replied, "Because when we found this place it was still intact. For whatever reason no one had ransacked it so we figured it was safer than anywhere else we had found."

  Alex asked, "How did y-all call us?"

  Nina replied, "When we searched the house we found a hand held ham radio that still worked. We left it off to save the batteries. When we heard you coming, I got to the radio about the time you flew by overhead. We did not think you heard us when you did not respond at first."

  Doug replied, "We did not think we were going to, it's not safe to take chances like this."

  "So why did you?" Lydia asked.

  Doug said, "I don't know I just felt like we should. In this crazy world we need to help when we can and I could hear the desperation in your voice."

  Lydia walked over to Doug and hugged him tightly around the neck and thanked him as she started to cry.

  Doug asked, "So ladies you have been here for a few months and no sign of any soldiers or marauders?"

  Nina replied, "No none, it'll be late soon, you should get some sleep here tonight and fly us out of here in the morning."

  Alex spoke up, "Whoa I never said anythin about flying y-all out of here."

  Lydia came back, "Then why are you even here?"

  Alex answered, "We can leave ya some food."

  Doug shifted his head and eyes and motioned to Alex to go talk privately.

  Alex said, "We'll be right back ladies, it seems we need to talk."

  Doug said, "Alex we can't just leave these ladies here they'll starve."

  Alex took a deep breath, sighed and replied, "I know we have ta help em."

  They went back to the ladies and explained the village to them and the conditions of going back with them. Both the ladies said it sounded like their kind of place and would love to do their part. Alex and Doug spent the rest of the evening searching the house for anything that could be used in the village.

  As they approached the house, Doug said, "Would you look at this place Alex? It is huge, I bet it is a half million at least."

  "I think it's more like a clean mill, let's go check it out, my bet it's full of stuff we can use."

  Excitedly Doug threw his fists in the air away from his head and swung it out in a joyful manner and said, "SCORE! It looks like we hit the jackpot Alex. We need to stay here as long as we can, or at least as long as it takes to get whatever we can fit in the helo."

  "I think you 're right Doug we need ta pick this place clean before we go."

  Doug turned to the girls and said, "So ladies how about you show us around your mansion."

  The ladies took each of the guys' arms and continued talking to them as they walked. As they entered the house Nina said, "Welcome to our humble abode, please make yourself at home," and laughed, they all did.

  Doug said with the worst fake British accent, "Why thank you my lady, I think we will, I do think we will."

  Even more laughter and even more lame fake British talk as they looked through the house.

  Doug came running in the room clearly excited about something, "Alex come quick you have got to see this."

  Alex ran over to the room Doug was in and asked, "WHAT! WHAT! What'd ya find?"

  "Check this out, it's a movie theater. Have you ever seen anything like it in a house?"

  With a slight smile and laugh Alex replied, "Oh Doug, what I could-a shown ya before the quake."

  In a curious manner Doug replied, "WHAT? Do you think I'm a hick or something?"

  "Sorry buddy, I didn't mean anythin, I'm just surprised you never heard of a home theater."

  "Different world dude."

  "You're right Doug, let's go check out the kitchen, I'm sure there'll be some stuff in there to use."

  The girls led them to the kitchen, as they entered Alex almost lost his lunch. Even before they got in there the smell started to assault their noses. Then they walked in and the sight was disturbing. There was trash piled high throughout the kitchen, dishes piled high in all three sinks, and mold growing everywhere.

  "Sorry it's a bit messy boys, it's not like we have running water or electricity."

  "It's alright Lydia, we have seen worse since the quake."

  The two of them rifled through what they could in the modern gourmet kitchen looking for anything they could find to take back. A bit of the twenty-first century would be nice, even if it's only a little. The kitchen had two Viking wall mounted gas ovens that they decided to take. One would be for the cave and the other for the fort. The six-burner drop in stove would also be a great addition to the cave given its community use. In the end they picked the kitchen clean to give out to whoever needed it.

  "I know most of the village doesn't have power but I do know that Peter does. He has plenty to run a few electrical kitchen appliances. I would bet any money he would like most of these appliances, but I think Ann would like it more."

  "Ya might be right Doug, grab em, they're not very big or heavy and have so many uses. We need ta be looking at the bigger picture Doug, sure we can bring stuff for ourselves and others in the village but we need to think about trading too at some point, we need things for that as well."

  "Alright I will keep that in mind."

  They continued going through the house and put aside a whole bunch of stuff that each of them thought would be good to take. When Alex stepped out the back door he almost dropped to the ground. There was a very large green house made with UV resistant greenhouse plastic sitting intact.

  "Well Doug it looks like we will be staying here for a bit, we CAN NOT leave that here, we have ta take it apart and bring all those panels back. You keep looking around out here, I need to go check in and let them know we will be at least a week here.

  Lydia exclaimed, "A WEEK?!! We are starving here."

  Alex replied, "Don't fret Lydia, we have lots of good fresh food, plenty for all of us for more than a week."

  Nina drooled, "Fresh fruit?"

  Alex smiled, "Yes Nina, why don't ya come with me to the helo. Lydia can hang with Doug while we radio in. Then we can get some food for a couple nights."

  "So I thought you said it was not safe using the radio?"

  "It's not Nina, but we're not going to talk. I'll key the radio three times and wait. If our friends hear it, they will key back once. I then wait one minute for each day we are delayed and key once, then twice more to close. That tells em how long we'll be delayed so they don't worry about us."

  Nina stepped up close to Alex and in a cooing voice said, "WOW! That's very smart; you are a very smart man Alex," as she took hold of his arm and pulled him close.

  Alex was a smart man and he knew exactly what this young girl wanted. He knew that she was just trying to manipulate him with implied sex, he also knew he was a happily married man, and unlike the rest of us, he wasn't free to have more than one partner.

  "I'm very flattered Nina but I am married."

  As she held him even closer
she asked, "Are you happy?"

  Alex took her hand and held her away and said, "Thank you I'm flattered but yes I am. Doug's girlfriend recently left him so I know he is looking for a new friend but that don't mean he wouldn't be opposed to more than one."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Like I told ya earlier we live in a very different society, without those restrictions."

  "Oh I guess I didn't fully understand that part, I can assure you, Lydia is already hitting on him in the same manner, I told her you were mine and he was hers."

  "Again I'm very flattered Nina but lets you and I get this work done and head back, I'm sure Doug would be happy for your attention tonight. Well okay, let's get this food inside and make something with it."

  Nina said, "I would love to make us all dinner."

  "Why thank you, that would be great."

  "It's been a long time since we have had fresh food."

  That night the four of them had a nice dinner and relaxed by a fire in the fireplace. Lydia opened a bottle of wine and poured some for everyone. They had been talking for some time and Alex was getting tired.

  "Well you guys enjoy yourselves, I'm going to sleep in that nice bed I found up there, I'm tired."

  "Alright, good night Alex. We don't have to get up any time tomorrow do we?"

  The three of them stayed up much later that night drinking a couple bottles of nice wine. Maybe it was because the girls were no longer hungry, or the wine talking, but the three of them spent the night together.

  The next morning Alex woke up first and made some bacon he had brought and eggs they found in the coup for breakfast. The smell must have wafted through the house because Lydia came running down the stairs wearing only her panties yelling.

  "IS THAT BACON I SMELL?!!! Oh My God it is bacon, how the hell do you have bacon?"

  Not really shocked but a bit taken back by her display Alex simply replied, "Yes it is, now could you go put on some clothes please."

  Embarrassed Lydia replied, "Sorry I'll be right back."

  When she returned she again asked, "Now where did you get that bacon?"

  "I have a ranch with all the farm animals I need. We knew something was comin and were ready for it. That is also why I have that helo and fuel out there."

  "Was Doug with you guys for the quake?"

  "No I met him in their village on the other side of the pass from our ranch. They have a village that I think you'll love."

  "If everyone there thinks like you guys do I'm sure we'll love it. Nina and I have not had so much fun for a very long time."

  "TMI…TMI."

  "No it was not like that silly, we are just friends…EWWW."

  Stuttering Alex replied, "BA…BA..tha..that was not what I meant?"

  She giggled and said, "Yes you did."

  Then she smiled and gave him a hug, "Oh and thank you for telling Nina about Doug she would never have joined us without knowing that."

  Meanwhile back in the village on the first day of the flight, Randy was at the radio when he heard three clicks on the radio and knew it was Alex keying his radio.

  "Peter come quick, I think its Alex."

  "I'll be right there…okay Randy key it back one time and start the timer."

  Randy keyed it and waited. One minute, two minute, three ... seven minutes passed another key then they heard two keys.

  "That's seven minutes Peter."

  "Great I guess that means that they found something that will take them some time to get. Keep me informed."

  They spent the next week stripping the farm of everything they could get in the helo and still carry the girls back with them. They topped off the helo with gas and figured they had plenty to make it home and even loaded more goodies in the sling below. The helo was loaded with every pound Alex thought he could carry and off they went.

  Now a week later back at Little Haven, "Is that a helo I hear?"

  "I think it is Sandy, it should be Alex heading back, he is due in today."

  "I hope it is Alex, it would suck if someone else was flying in here."

  "Look you can see it now and that IS Alex's helo, I would recognize it anywhere."

  As it drew near you could see all sorts of stuff poking out the netting. As Alex landed he released the net and landed next to it. The first one out was Doug, but we were all surprised to see two women step out of the helo as well. After the rotors winded down then Alex stepped out. I watched as the group made their way toward me.

  I asked, "Welcome back guys, and who is this you have with you?"

  Doug motioned to his left and pointed.

  "Peter this is Nina and this is Lydia. Nina, Lydia this is Peter he is in charge of the village."

  "Hi ladies and welcome to Little Haven."

  Nina replied, "Thank you Peter, I'm sure we will be happy here, Doug told us all about it."

  Lydia also replied, "I don't know how much longer we would have lasted there without having to leave and find food. As soon as we left the house we could have been found and killed or worse."

  "Well ladies I'm sure you have much to ask and we all would love to hear what the two of you have seen since the quake. But before we go over that we need to get you settled in."

  Doug spoke up, "I have already taken care of that Peter they will both be staying with me. Amanda and I split up some time ago so I have an empty house."

  With a very sly smile Doug said, "Besides we have become very good friends since we met."

  "I see Doug, so I take it you have already gone over all the rest of the rules as well, besides our liberal relationship philosophy."

  We both laughed.

  "I have Peter; I was beginning to think that I was going to be one of those guys that ended up with no one."

  Doug reached his arms around both the ladies and they reached theirs around his lower back and the three stood close. Doug smiled and continued, "But now… not so much."

  I told the ladies, "All right then with that already dealt with we will have a potluck tonight so the village can hear your story."

  Doug replied, "If it's all the same to you Peter, I would like to get these two to my place and get them settled in, we will come by the cave tonight for the potluck."

  "That would be great, we will see you there."

  The three of them headed down valley to his place and Alex and I started to walk around the helo and the haul.

  "I'm so glad you made it back safe Alex, your family has been waiting for you and should be up here shortly, they were down by the cave."

  "I'm glad to be home, it has been a busy week."

  "I can see that Alex; what all do you have in here? I can see the handle of some big garden tool sticking out of that netting."

  "That is a large roto-tiller trailer Peter."

  "Hell yea that will be great, we can use it this year for the fall seeding, we already have the gas to run it."

  "But that is nothing compared to some of the things we found at the farm where we got the ladies. This place was huge and untouched. That is the reason we stayed so long, it took some time to figure out what to keep and load it on the helo.

  Among the things we found was a large greenhouse, which was what took us so long. We dismantled the building and took the plastic panels. We also took the ventilation system to keep it cool in the summer."

  "We will find the right place to build it. When it is built we can then build an aquaponics system and raise fish and grow vegetables, it works much better than dirt."

  The two of us watched as everyone unloaded the helo, Alex directed them as to what to put where and what to leave on the helo for his home. I could not believe all the stuff they found. It would make life much easier for many as it is disseminated.

  "So are you guys staying the night to hear what the ladies have to tell us about their encounters?"

  "No I want to take Elaine and the kids home, they already told Doug and me all about their experiences, but I will leave that for them to tell you."


  "That sounds like a plan, you get going. I see them coming up now."

  "Thank you Peter, I'm sure Doug can fill you in on the details of our trip. If you need more from me just let me know, I will be happy to fill in any gaps."

  We all waved as they flew away, now our village had lost two of our friends and got two new ones back in return. That night we had a huge potluck, everyone was there, and they all were dying to hear about the outside world.