A Survival Story

Hello all -

Sorry for missing posts. As some of you saw from my other sites I have become overwhelmed with what has mostly become a hobby. Life has gotten very busy and I need to take a break. I will start posting again and take up where the story was left off in a few weeks.

Again – apologize for this,

Rourke

I was worried about Ben since he didn’t answer last night at our scheduled time. I headed out down to Chester to see him. I asked Kenny to head down with me and he agreed. We traveled back roads all he way avoiding the entire length of Hwy 72. Along the way we came across some recent action. Saw fires burning – where home used to be in the middle of a field in the country. Fences were knocked down. I could see tracks digging up the ground in the fields and in yards. Something heavy and likely four wheeled drive. There were three areas recently destroyed.

We arrived to Ben’s place at 10:00 am. Gate looked fine – nothing suspicious. Kenny and I went up to the gate, and in no time Ben was walking down to meet us. Ben was fine – everything was fine. He had just plat out forgotten and got his days mixed up. Whew!

Everything has been going fine at Ben’s. I talked to him about our plans in the neighborhood and our continuing agreement with Hwy 72. He said it sounded like we were on the right track. I had to get back for the exterior patrol. Ben gave us a coupe dozen eggs and a couple of chickens. He said that with his small group – he had more than enough. Kenny and I thanked him and headed home.

I started my patrol at 3:00 pm and it lasted until 7:00 pm. Uneventful – but it was different. I patrolled anywhere from 50 yards to 150 yards from the neighborhood perimeter in a varying snake-like pattern. Stopping sometimes and just watching, and listening. Other times constantly moving. We are to move with stealth in mind. My partner Rex stayed to the south of me 25-35 yards. Our patrol area was 200 yards long.  Objective is to watch and listen – to be an early warning system and 1st line of defense should something be seen. We are not to engage unless there is no choice. We are to communicate, fall back and gather with the others.

Luckily nothing happened today.

Tomorrow? We’ll see.

- Jed

After church service this morning we (M, Aaron and Caleb), as well as most of the rest of the neighborhood started working on clearing the perimeter. We’re going to be sore tomorrow.

Karl Faile came over. He and his family got all moved in yesterday. I talked to him about the plans to build up the neighborhoods defensive capability. I gave him a copy of the paper we printed out and we discussed it. I told him we were going to start taking lumber from a couple of the partially built model homes. We are building some tall “flower boxes”, filling them with rocks and dirt which to shoot behind. These can be placed inside homes in designated defensive areas. I also talked about mounting wood outside windows with nails sticking up to prevent/slow down invaders. Karl thought that was a good idea but figured we could just drive nails in the window sills and save the wood.

Karl volunteered to assist in stripping the partial model homes. He said he had plenty of tools. I asked him what he used to do – and he said he used to be a carpenter in a different life. I think he could come in handy. Next – he told me he was a volunteer fireman. Hmmmm……I immediately asked him if he would head up our fire fighting efforts. He agreed.

I think Karl out there working hard and contributing will help ease any tensions between Walnut Street people and the original residents of the neighborhood.

Tomorrow we start the exterior patrols that Ryan set up. I will be working the afternoon shift. Called Ben tonight on the HAM and he didn’t respond. Tried a couple times. Hope everything is OK with him.

So tired.

- Jed

Had a decent amount of rain today. Great for the rain barrels, animals, and gardens. With the chill and i raining I limited how much time was spent working outside. That went for M, Aaron and Caleb.

Stopped raining around 2:00 pm. I worked the afternoon patrol and while walking the perimeter I heard something. It kinda sounded like a whimper. I radioed in and told Ryan I heard something and was going to check it out. My patrol partner (Rex Turner) and I head into the woods. Only about 40 yards in and getting close to another street and some homes we found the source of the noise – a puppy. Well – actually there was two of them. Two small, fuzzy, brown puppies. Hard to tell what breed – looked to be pure breed MUTT to me.

Rex and I looked around and did not see the mother or an other dogs. We scooped them up and brought them back. Rex asked what  I planned to do and I said I planned to keep at least one of them. He didn’t want one so I brought both of them to the house. M was in the backyard tending to the garden. She was so surprised and happy. I have not seen here smile like that in quite a while.

She didn’t think about having to feed the dogs. She din’t think about the tactical advantage having dogs might provide – assuming they can be trained not to bark at every leaf falling out of the sky. Caleb was ecstatic!!!! Later in the evening as we laid in the living room and talked – M asked about giving one of them to Jessie and Addie. I thought that was a great idea. I thought it was a great idea especially after cleaning up after both of them!

What a morale booster having them around. Kinda made me feel like a kid again.

- Jed

Well – it’s a start. Ryan and I created a list of things to do for the neighborhood as well as individual homes. I think the lists are pretty good – sure we will come up with more. Now – the challenge is to get as much done as possible.

Here we go:

HOME/NEIGHBORHOOD MODIFICATIONS: 

• Determine fields of fires from ALL homes and guard positions.
• Each home must have specific locations which to reinforce and provide fire from
• For best defense—fields of fire must overlap to provide total coverage around neighborhood AND within
• Force multipliers must be available
• Create kill zones around neighborhood
• Create “bait” barriers
• Improve COVER area’s as defensive positions
• Create positioning/communication system based on the “clock system”. North is 12 o’clock, south is 6 o’clock.
• Number guard positions based on clock system
• Develop acronym system for communications
• Create barriers in streets and around property to provide obstacles to those driving vehicles or on horseback
• Utilize dogs where possible
• Install tripwire alarms around perimeter of neighborhood using mousetraps and percussion caps/empty shotgun shells
• Set up light sources to illuminate areas if needed
• Create spider holes

Good day today. Ryan spent a lot of time writing up his ideas on fortifying the homes in the neighborhood as well as patrol scenario’s for the exterior of our property. We are going to get together tomorrow and review and print them out.

M had a good idea. M, Jessie, and Aaron walked the neighborhood and asked everyone how they felt they could best contribute to the neighborhood. Basically she asked how they would like to help. She got a really good response from many residents as they said they wanted to help in the following ways:

• clear land around the perimeter
• more gardening – help break up ground, amend soil, etc.
• volunteer for more patrols (only a few suggested this one)
• help set up a larger schooling system for the kids
• go on scouting trips for supplies
• help out building or fabricating anything
• help out with animals – the chickens, pigs, rabbits, etc.

Many of them also brought up some concerns:

• Several households have no guns and they feel helpless.
• Some are low on batteries. Once they are out they have NO light at night whatsoever.
• Most do not have the small wood stoves yet and the nights are getting colder.
• Food supplies are getting low even though families are rationing.
• People missed music…..really want to hear music.
• Some original residents are having second thoughts about the people from Walnut Street moving in – which most all have now.

There were a few others.

Tomorrow the sheets will be passed out and work will start on our defensive positions. Fire fighting also needs attention. With some of the ideas Ryan and I have discussed – in order to incorporated them all we are going to have to find some additional supplies. I see a scouting trip on the horizon.

Another nice day today – mid 60′s. I hope tomorrow is good as well. Wish I could just check the weather forecast.

 - Jed

I woke up this morning feeling excitement. It was an excitement similar to when I was a kid and the weatherman announced there was a big winter storm coming and we were going to get a foot of snow dumped on us. This excitement was similar - except it ‘s not fluffy snow that I can go play in – it’s danger I feel coming. I woke up feeling a sense of urgency that whether it is the fences needing completion, clearing land, fortifying our homes, or setting up expansive patrols – let’s move!!

Unusually warm at close to 70 degree’s, I threw on my Wrangler carpenter jeans, a black t-shirt, holstered my S&W M&P9 in my Fobus holster, and placed two magazines in my BLACKHAWK magazine pouch on my belt. Maxpedition mini-tactical vest was strapped across my chest holding 3 30-rd Magpul magazines – I grabbed my Stag AR and headed out to talk to some of the neighbors.

Door to door I walked with Caleb running behind me. I spent 10 minutes or so with each neighbor talking about the fortifications we need to do, the fencing, the dangers. The crazy thing is no one….not one single person stood up and said, “We don’t need to do any of that – your crazy!”. Everyone knows what is going on. Many are scared to death for themselves and their children. They just need to know what needs to be done – and they will do it. They need to be lead.

I didn’t ask to get put in this situation but here I am. I didn’t ask to be the leader of this neighborhood but it is obviously no one else is going to step up to do the job. I am not perfect and I do not know everything – but I will give it my best shot. I’m not afraid to make a decision. It may be the wrong one but it will be made.

We have some good resources here in the neighborhood. Kenny is a great hunter. Ryan has a military background. Bill worked as a correctional officer and has some martial arts and firearms experience.  Rose is our medical guru. Jamie  can weld and do some machining work. Me? Well, I know little about a lot. We need to find out more about the rest of the residents to see what other resources are available to us.

I finished walking the neighborhood after lunch and came away with a really good feeling. Ryan is going to draw up some information on fortifying the homes and I am going to print out some copies. Yeah, I am going to use my solar system to power my scanner/printer that has been sitting for months.

 - Jed

Ryan and I got together and had a long talk. I told him that beyond the towers, the patrols INSIDE the neighborhood, the clearing of space around the perimeter  and the trip wires – more needs to be done. He agreed. He said he had been thinking same thing since the recent attack. He said that we are too porous and predictable – and local. I asked what he meant by “local”. He said we needed to expand our patrols outside the neighborhood and they need to vary in timing, numbers, and locations.  In order to do this I told him many more people will have to be involved.

Ryan laid out a plan to keep residents – included those arriving from Walnut Street – working on the clearing of the perimeter. Beyond this – we needed better security within our own homes. Almost any typical rifle – and most pistol rounds will pass entirely through a house. You cannot shoot through a window and hide behind the wall like in a movie. We need barriers built that can withstand the impact of multiple rounds as well as make it very difficult for someone to just bust through a door and walk into a house.

Ryan went on to say that we need to make this neighborhood like a small fortress. Should have started long ago – but can’t go back in time – gotta start now. He also brought up fire. We are working on putting small wood stoves in every house and we have no fire fighting plan. We have a few fire extinguishers – clearly not enough.

Ryan was right on target.

There is a lot of work to do. With what we heard….or didn’t hear, on the shortwave radio yesterday – who knows what we will have to deal with?

It all starts tomorrow.

- Jed

Bill heard some news today. It was faint and broken up, but news nevertheless.  Information was on a short wave. He wrote down what he heard. Looking at his notes we tried to piece things together.

Here is what he wrote down:

• Florida…..resistance…..war…….troops
• Cuba……Mexican……Venezuela…..illegals…….drugs
• North……heading……citizens…..insurgents
• Violence…..troops……citizens…..battle…..Mexicans
• Food shortage…..gaining territory…..Georgia…….Carolina
• Taking advantage…..no government……law enforcement…..military
• lack of preparedness

Not sure what to make out of all this. Bill, Ryan, Kenny and I all got copies of the notes and are studying them. Will get back together tomorrow and compare thoughts and brainstorm.

My initial thoughts seem petty evident to me: We have been invaded. Florida is dealing with Cuban, Venezuelan and Mexican troops within the borders of the United States and citizens are fighting back. Due to the lack of preparedness in this country, and a lack of law enforcement and military presence - the invaders are gaining territory.

Venezuela. Really? I guess Chavez looks at this as a huge opportunity and teamed up with his neighbors to the North and Northeast. Based on the rest, it sounds like the troops are expanding their control northward towards Georgia and South Carolina.

Things seem to keeping getting more and more interesting.

- Jed

Several people from Walnut Street moved into the neighborhood today. The excitement and interest was short lived as we were attacked and lost two neighbors.

These four – five guys entered the neighborhood in the southeast corner – shooting the guard in the tower there. They entered two of the houses there  - killed one resident – grabbed some food and jetted. It was quick. They didn’t get much. What a waste of human life. The guard died and the resident in the house. I knew the guard – Lyle. He was married – no kids. The resident caught in the house – Lynn – was alone. Her husband was out of town when The Event happened. He never made it home.

We think four – five guys based on their tracks. Different shoe prints.

The other house was empty – no supplies. From the shell casing found inside Lynn’s house and out on the tree line it looks like both were killed with a .22LR. What does this mean? Could be that is the only gun they had – a single shooter. Could be multiple .22 guns. Could be they only wanted to use their .22′s to try to keep the noise down. Who knows?

This did not go over well with the residents coming in from Walnut Street. Here they are relocating and the place they go to has this happen. What it did do was suddenly motivate everyone to work on their fences and clearing.

Everyone chipped in and helped dig the graves for Lynn and Lyle. Hard work.

What a waste of lives.

- Jed