The Days After (Big River) Read online

  He laughed, “There will be stories to tell, Linda. Lot's of time for that later. You remember Louis and Penny? And this is Angeline and her daughter, Allie.”

  “Nice to meet you, Angel, Allie. Oh my goodness, didn't God paint some beautiful hair on you two. So glad you're here Penny, Louis...Jacob, is that you? You are all grown up, son.”

  The party moved into the expansive house. Something cooking smelled great and fans whirred on the ceilings in the rooms that just flowed from one to the next. Linda said, “Hope you are all going to be hungry. I have lots of stew cooking, you know Clay, I never have cooked just a little of anything.”

  The all sat around a long narrow table in an open and bright kitchen. Some of the stories of the journey up river were told. They skipped the tale of the weird stretch of water, for now. Clay told about the river being blocked and how his leg had gotten injured.

  Dan's wife, Linda said, “We will have Doc look at it.” She pointed to a small house in the back corner of the tall fence that actually enclosed nearly three acres. “He and his wife live back there. Real good folks. Then over there in the big travel trailer are Roger and Don, they are both retired military guys. They are real smart about weapons and defenses. We have known them for several years.”

  Dan smiled a big wide grin, “You know,” his eyebrows raised, “It's kind of a don't ask, don't tell deal. Not our business as long as they do their part.”

  Turned out that Dan, just as he had planned and promised had made a compound here that was a pretty safe haven. He explained as the days went by, that he actually had about ten acres. “Doesn't matter much though, unless you can defend it. We use the land, but we are cautious when we are outside the defendable perimeters. We do have some livestock on the property and of course, are subject to loss. Lately, we've had a little more trouble than we did at first. Folks are beginning to travel around more, searching for food and shelter. We've had folks try to come over the fence.”

  Linda said, “Of course, the barb wire across the top slows them down a little.”

  A garden grew within the fences. They had lots of stored food supplies and Linda, the Doctor's wife and the ex-soldier Don did lots of preserving and canning. They had the solar panels that provided them some power and they had a large generator. A well on the property and a good water purifying system served their water needs. There was an old tractor and a 1960's military truck that still ran, Dan and Roger were pretty good mechanics.

  Doc came over to meet them and take a look at Clay's leg. He looked at Angel and said, “You did a good job, Miss. It's healing, just going to take a while. You were lucky you had the old penicillin. You never know, it could have been worthless, but most drugs last far longer than they are supposed to. The drugs, staying off of it and the careful attention to the wound probably saved your leg or your life.”

  Out in the barn, later, Dan showed Clay and Louis the tractor and truck. He said, “From what you have told me you observed the last couple of months and from rumors that I have heard, this situation is not even beginning to go away. You know, brother, I am very glad you are here. You are all welcome here. I really believe that if we work together, we can survive and keep the families safe.”

  Louis said, “I appreciate it, Dan. Linda has already just about talked Penny into taking a couple of the rooms upstairs in the house. She claims there's plenty for all of us.”

  Clay said, “Well, about that...” Both men waited for him to continue. “Angel and I would like to get married. I mean, we would like to make a commitment to each other. We know the legality of it is kind of irrelevant in these times, we thought we would have some type of ceremony. That is, if it's okay with the two of you. Angel was going to talk with Linda about it.”

  They both congratulated him. He said, “I am on a roll, might as well say the rest. We would like to live on the Annie Belle. I am concerned about the security though, being outside of the fence perimeters. What do you think?”

  Dan was quiet for a few minutes, tinkered under the hood of the truck. Then, “We could cut down some of the trees and we could extend the fence out to beyond the pier and the boat, down the shores of each side. I have already considered the possibility of extending the perimeters to keep my water access secure. We would have to come up with something for across the channel. Maybe just something that looks like trees fell across. That would take the boat into the perimeters. Around that corner in the channel where the boat is docked, is not really easy to see from the main river way.”

  Louis spoke, “That might actually work, it would certainly be more secure. The trees would build the fence and make firewood for next winter.”

  “I'm real glad to have the extra people to share guard duty. We try to have three to walk each four hour shift. Just this past month, Clayton started to do his part. I have walked many a mile with those mutts, they are as gentle with the family as they can be, but they are ferocious with guarding the fence line. With you all here, then everyone will have some nights when they don't have to take a shift.” said Dan

  “Thanks Dan, we are glad to be here. So, show Louis and I what you need us to do out here.”

  ***

  On a day that held just a small promise of the cool Fall that was up ahead, Angeline and Clay stood beside the garden with late growing vegetables in neat rows and Fall flowers starting to bloom. Angel wore a pale blue dress that Penny had made for her from a nice old tablecloth of Linda's. Her shiny auburn tresses all piled up with tiny fresh flowers, some sandals loaned by the Doc's wife were on her feet. Something borrowed, something blue. The ring that Clay put on her finger, had belonged to Dan and Clay's mother and the pearl ear-rings that she wore, were given to her by Roger and Don, still in their nice new box. Something old and something new.

  Clay wore the chambray shirt from the small town on the Mississippi River, his jeans and canvas shoes. Allie proudly wore a little pink gingham dress that had been saved from Linda's daughter's first day of school. The vows were simple, just a statement by each of them that they vowed to love and stand by each other forever. Clay reached down and lifted up Allie, who placed her small arms around his neck, he said, “And I proudly pronounce that I will always be your daddy.”

  There was cake and punch, even some beer and wine, laughter and dancing to older CD's played on the battery player. All the men and a couple of the women had one of the cigars from Clay and Louis's stash. Then before the sun set, everyone followed the couple down to the Annie Belle that now was all ready for the family to live on. Allie rode on Dan's shoulders. The fences were up, the fake barrier of trees and logs laid out across the channel. The storage room wall had been moved over to create a bedroom for Clay and Angel. Two of the roll aways with double mattresses were tied together and Linda had put linens and a nice bedspread on. Allie would get the bunk room. The old encyclopedias now lived on shelves in the cabin open area. Curtains covered the windows once again and some rugs softened the floors. Some of the overflow in Dan and Linda's barn had provided the living area with a loveseat and a couple of comfortable old chairs.

  All the friends and family had wished them joy and drifted away. Allie had been tucked in with her sock monkey. Finally, Angel and Clay crawled into the bed in their new bedroom. The paddle wheeler that had kept them moving up the river, that had kept them safe, would now be their home. The air coming in the window was not unpleasant, the water lapped softly on the sides of the boat. Clay pulled her to him and inhaled the sweet clean smell that would forever in his life remind him of Angeline. He knew that the complete happiness he felt at this moment did not exist outside this haven, for so many in this changed America. Something, yet unknown and horrific had robbed Americans of the life that they had become so accustomed to. He did not deceive himself that he could shield his wife and little girl from that outside world indefinitely.

  For this moment in time, he would breathe in this joy. Tomorrow, he would join with his friends and his family, prepare and be vigilant. They woul
d ever watch the horizon for the storm of chaos that gathered and threatened there.

  Thanks for reading the new dystopian adventures in The Days After (Big River) ****Your honest review would be appreciated.

  http://www.amazon.com/The-Days-After-Big-River-ebook/dp/B00GG5AZJO

  Available on Amazon Kindle:

  No Normal Day---

  http://www.amazon.com/No-Normal-Day-ebook/dp/B00CPSNC28

  No Normal Day II (Unity)---

  http://www.amazon.com/No-Normal-Day-Unity-ebook/dp/B00DJL3C0W

  No Normal Day III (West)---

  http://www.amazon.com/Normal-Day-III-West-ebook/dp/B00E6ZL3D8

  No Normal Day IV (Travelers)---

  http://www.amazon.com/No-Normal-Day-Travelers-ebook/dp/B00F2WXIJ6

  ****All books also available on Barnes & Noble Nook and KOBO****

  If you would like to “zap” me a message, I would love to hear from you.

  [email protected]

  Regards, J. Richardson

  Table of Contents

  COPYWRIGHT

  Chapter One The Annie Belle

  Chapter Two The Crew

  Chapter Three Rolling on the River

  Chapter Four Small Town to Big City

  Chapter Five Storm

  Chapter Six On The Wide Missouri

  Chapter Seven Away

  Chapter Eight No Safe Passage