As you know, I watch many of the survival themed forums, particularly the fiction sections as they are one of my favorite genres.
There are some new stories I recently started reading which I have to share with as many others as I think they will find them as exciting as I do.
The first one is on the Survivalist Boards under Books, Movies and Stories and is titled Going Home. This story follows a normal businessman from Florida caught 200 miles from home after an EMP burst takes out all modern electronics including cars. Our hero, though more prepared than most as he has a good Get Home Bag and some supplies, still has to deal with death at each turn as society comes unraveled. The author not only writes well, he posts regularly, as in an updated chapter once or twice a day! As one reader remarked, you will probably want to keep the story open on your browser and reload Going Home frequently throughout the day.
Another is the Union Creek Journal. This story is done as a series of blog postings as told by a survivor in the year 2015 after the American economy has collapsed. Our main character has gathered his family together at a farm in the middle of Nebraska and has managed to produce enough food and fuel to get by. However, as the cities empty, gangs and outlaws start to work their way out to the hinterlands in search of supplies. Unlike similarly themed stories, Union Creek Journal is well written, researched and realistic. This story is not a never ending laundry list of tools and equipment to buy and the characters, even the bad guys, are fleshed out and seemingly as normal as you and me. Please be sure to start at the bottom of the page as the chapters are in blog format and published as newest chapter on top.
I found another neat story on the WhenSHTF forum under Scenarios and Stories and entitled Boy - Story. This follows a young man making his way home, like Going Home, after an EMP burst. Unfortunately, the author has take a hiatus for the past month and no new chapters have been published. Still, the first part is very good and has some good lessons on what to do when you are faced with an emergency far from home and have no supplies to get started with.
Showing posts with label shtf stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shtf stories. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
SHTF Fiction: Too Bad, So Sad
How about some home made SHTF fiction courtesy of me? I am working on a new site for this stuff and penned a quick tale today to share. Standard stuff applies.. It's my story. No you can't reprint it without my written permission and if I catch you doing so, watch out for my big legal boot.
Enjoy!
IT happened about halfway through my standard Thursday night dinner - two McDonald Quarter Pounders, two large fries and a six pack of Miller's Genuine Draft. That ego maniac president came on and stated the obvious - the US was broke. There would be no more welfare, social security or food stamps. In an effort to collect outstanding debts, the UN would be landing about a half a million blue hats tonight at airports around the country. Then he said good night and good luck and he walked off the screen.
I didn't wait to hear what happened next. I turned off the set and threw the remote across the room. It was a matter of time before law and order broke down and things went crazy. Good thing I was as prepped as best as I could be. I looked around at the guns I had acquired over the past three years. They were scattered through out the living room, kitchen and dining room (as well as in my bed room) where they would be handy for just in case. Like today.
My jaw was still on the living room floor taking in all that had happened when I heard a crash outside. Looking out the window, sure enough its a couple of the the gang banger lowlife neighbors next door knocking over my trashcans on their way to pay me a visit. I guess they figure with no welfare check coming from taxpayers LIKE ME, they plan on making a withdraw direct.
Not wasting time, I choose the right tool for the job from my armory. I pick my Mossberg 590 with extended tube, elastic side saddle, sythetic stock and muzzle break. It was loaded with 6 00 bucks I had picked up online from one of the ammo sites I read about online.
After racking a fresh shell in the pipe, I stepped out on the porch in a move I had rehearsed in my mind a dozen times "Come and get it you pieces of scum!" I yelled and let Gang Banger number one have it front and center. GB number two behind him reaches for something in his baggy pants and that give me time to rack shell two into place with his name on it. "Kaboom!", the Mossberg does it's job and makes me a happy customer.
I hustled down to the waiting bodies and turn them over looking for "war booty". Sure enough, number one has a Glock 21 in his pants along with a half dozen spare mags (no wonder his pants were failing down!). Banger two has a matching Glock with four mags and surprise - a wad of twenties and fifties. Drug money no doubt. It's mine for now and will go a long way on some last minute preps.
This was just like those end of the world stories online. I discovered them a few years back and read them every chance I get. I never bothered with buying a computer not when I could use the one in the break room at work for free. I just sneak out a few minutes early for lunch and hog it for the whole hour before anyone else can get claim it. Too bad, so sad for them.
I take my spoils and decide its time to bug out of dodge! I head for the house and grab my left over Quarter Pounder and cram half in my mouth. Gonna need some fuel to get this job done!
I start with my guns and ammo. I have more than a dozen choice pieces and thousands of rounds for each stored in .50 caliber ammo cans. The cans line my living room wall and I frequently like to get all my guns out and line them up in front of the ammo cans and just look at them. Its really cool.
Forty five minutes later and I have only managed to get the ammo into the bed of my Ford Extended Crew Cab Four by Four. I had to take two breaks and the same number of Cokes to keep the ole engine running.
By the way, who am I? My name is Bob Kirgus. I am 45, divorced and living the life on my own in a two bedroom house in a town not much different than yours. I work as foreman down at United Mail Service, you know, the guys in the red and yellow trucks. I am the local trouble maker on the job and have a great time being the "difficult one" my boss refers to at our team meetings. Ha ha! Wonder how HE'S doing with all this? Bet he has his head in some three ring manual trying to figure out the answer to S-H-T-F. Ha!
Right now, I got to get the truck loaded with food and ammo and head for the hills. I imagine this place is going to go up like a road flare once the "Don't Haves" realize there's no more free lunch.
I start on the guns and try to decide the best choices for the ride. The Mossberg for sure. And my Colt 1911A, parkerized, with laser sites and extended custom made Beaver mags and 185gr rounds. But should I include my loaded McMillian TAC-50 (cashed out my 401K for that one!) with flash suppresor in the front seat as well? What if I run across a road block like in those stories? What about my Main Battle Rifle? My loaded Springfield M1A1 Match with synthetic stock and 32 twenty round magazines loaded with Lake City (purchased after the divorce, thank you very much, from my share of the sale of the former Miss Cheapskate Ball and Chain and my home!).
By now, its been two hours since the Big Mouth's announcement and its getting late. I end up throwing all the guns in the front and back seat of the Ford and decide to play it by ear. Then I load up all the canned goods, (good stuff like Hormel chili, Spam, canned tamales, and so on) from the kitchen and grab the rest of my Cokes and Mountain Dew from the pantry. I can't decide whether to take the buckets of sugar, flour and baking stuff I planned on learning to use. In the end I just leave them and the pots and pans and whatever for the looters.
After putting the food in the truck bed, I change into my bug out clothes. A pair of jeans. t-shirt, suspenders (damn gut!), my favorite team's ball cap, photographer vest and fanny pack. I lace up my boots (with a break to catch my breath between each boot).
If you are wondering, my vest is loaded with spare mags for my Raven .25 back up gun, a dozen protein bars, two bic lighters, a compass, notebook, pen, 50" of paracord, my Streamlight tactical flashlight, spare batteries, a half dozen 12 guage slugs and buckshot, p38 can opener, rain poncho and a Cold Steel folder).
Yeah, the vest is heavy, but I got enough stuff here to save my backside in ANY situation. My fanny pack has some of the same stuff plus a roll of Charmin, flattened and stored in a two gallon Ziploc bag and some contractor trash bags.
I stuff my big blue Samsonite suitcase with jeans, t-shits and underwear and haul out for the front of the house. Damn! I forgot my toothbrush, razor and bathroom stuff. Oh well, I can get a tooth brush on the road and I might as well grow a beard. In a few weeks the thin veneer of civilization with its shaving, alimony and red and yellow United Mail Service uniforms will be HISTORY, baby!
I head out the door, but not before throwing the house keys on the couch. I won't need this place anymore! Take that fat cat Mr. Banker!
I snag my four NATO jerry cans from the garage and heave them into the back of the truck bed. Two are empty so I better grab some more fuel before I leave town. I crank up that bad boy and squeal out of the driveway and down the street.
But that has to wait because no sooner had I get around the corner when I run into trouble. Again.
A fruity looking Volvo with a "Hug the Planet" sticker on the bumper is stopped in the middle of the street. Two more gang bangers have pulled the occupants (Mr and Mrs Flower Power) out and are giving them the going over. I slam on the brakes, step out and introduce them to Mr. Springfield M1A. Bam bam bam! The bangers go down and unfortunately, Mr Flower Power took one to the head in the rush. Adrenaline I guess. Not my fault.
Mrs Flower Power, is stunned. Probably the new found respect and admiration she has for a REAL MAN like me. But its not for long. Banger on the ground is still alive and puts a nine into her back. I snap off three shots into the ground from my Springfield before number four finds the mark. No more outings for that upstanding youth as the missed rounds whine off into the night air.
Again, I help myself the leftovers. This time I end up with a Taurus nine millimeter Barretta clone and a Smith and Wesson .38 with a five inch barrel. I didn't know bangers went for classics! Some more ammo and spending money came with the deal as well. Too bad for the Flower Powers, but the tough new world probably won't come with lattes. Ha! Too bad, so sad.
I get back on the road and head for the gas station and get another dose of bad news. There is a line around the block for the four pumps. No surprise, but I don't have time to wait.
I nose the Ford in between two cars already at the pumps, a Honda and a Toyota Prius, and get out with my 1911A. I fire a round into the air and shout "We can do things my way or the hard way! What's it going to be?". Some gal screams and a guy tears away from his car for the safety of the ladies room, so I start filling my truck up.
Aboo or Habib who runs the place comes out and demands cash or no gas. No problem and I start peeling Jacksons and Grants off the bangers flash wad and Mr MidEast's eyes light up like he was in paradise and is meeting his 50 virgins. After twenty minutes (hey, I got three tanks on the truck and two of the jerry cans to fill), I get back on the road.
I got a bad case of indigestion coming on. Must have been that last burger. And my shoulder is really hurting from firing the Springfield. I wish I would have spent more time at the range but that used up ammo. I liked keeping my ammo all together and wanted as much as possible when the baloon went up. Oh well.
Nothing between me and the wilderness but.. hey, the Albertsons grocery store has some activity so I pull in. Might as well grab some spare grub while the stores are still open. Too bad though. Folks are streaming in and out with full carts. The only problem is those coming out are being relieved of their goods by those outside. Time for backup plan two! I figured this out after lunch one day reading those online stories.
I pull around back and see the loading door is open. I back the Ford up and grab my Colt Python .357 with chrome finish and Pachmeyer grips, six spare speed loaders and my 4 battery Monster Maglight. In the back door and.. wonders of wonders. Several pallets of Spam, chili, beef stew, tamales and lots of Cokes and Mountain Dew are waiting just inside the door.
I pull my Cold Steel boot knife and hack into the plastic wrap on the pallets. Next I grab a dolly and start loading cases and taking them to the Ford. About ten minutes later (and a break for the old man. This is a lot of work!), I hear someone walking into the back room. Some guy with a crew cut and white apron on comes in and asks "Hey! What are you doing?".
Might be trouble so I level the Python at him and tell him he can get in the way and in the grave or turn around and act like he saw nothing. Crew Cut wets his pants right there and starts blubbering about his mom, his auntie, some guy he's pals with named Bruce and his little dog at home and a whole bunch of other stuff. I don't have time for this so I put a round into a big stack of Depends diaper cartons to get his attention. Well ironically, that makes Crew Cut take a dump in his pants and fall on the ground babbling and bawling.
I hear feet and voices coming from the store, so I make my exit. The truck is pretty loaded down with my food from home, ammo, guns and now several cases of canned food, so it's probably best. Anyway, it was starting to stink in there.
My chest is really burning with indigestion now. It feels like theres a lead weight on it. I gotta grab some Tums or something. You never read about that happening in those adventure stories.
Now, I am on the road and heading out of town, but sure enough, I hit a road block. Well, it looked like one to me. Two cars are plowed into each other and blocking most of the road. There is some lady yelling at this old guy who looks like he's drunk. It's gotta be a trap so I better be careful.
I grab my Mossberg again, but figure its time for my FAL to get in on the action instead. I shove a 30 rounder of South African surplus in my European wonder weapon and grab a bandoleer of 16 more mags from the back set and try to step out of the cab in one quick move. But my gut hits the steering wheel and I have to raise it up to get out. The bandoleer is in my left hand so I throw it on the dash when drunk guy pounds on the passenger window.
I jumped about ten feet when that happens and I break some seriously loud wind. But that wasn't loudest thing. The FAL goes off in my right hand and takes out the whole passenger window and most of Drunk Guy's face.
Sheet! I hadn't meant to do that. I can't remember if the safety was on or not. The lady in the street goes into hysterics right then and there and won't stop screeching. No time to waste. I am sweating like a pig and my heart is going a million miles an hour. I start the truck up and back up. I put it in forward and head to the right and around the wreck in front of me. I think I rolled over the drunk guy at that point but was too amped up to think about it, I just went over the curb, grass and back onto the road leaving that screaming lady in the middle of the street.
I hope she didn't get my license plate and that had me shaking bad. I wish I had a beer or something. Damn my chest hurts. But you know what? The poop has hit the fan and the cops are going to be too busy taking care of their own families to worry about me! Too bad so sad. The guy was probably some rich banker getting drunk because his house of fiat money had collapsed. I bet he was going to hitch a ride or demand my truck. Jerk. Probably deserved it.
I was about to get on the interstate when I saw that blue and white sign calling my name - Super WalMart. I knew I needed a toothbrush and maybe a few other things. I would be living on the road and in the wilderness now and there is no better place for a few last minute preps than Wally World!
Sure enough, there was a mob going in and out, but I didn't let that stop me. I pulled around back again and went in accompanied by my good buddies, Mr Mossberg and Mrs Colt and Python. I went through the double doors in the store room into the store fully intending on heading for the pharmacy and personal items when I saw the sporting goods section was right in front of me.
Someone left the cart for a second so I tossed their stuff on the floor and snagged it. I grabbed all the twelve gauge bird shot they had on the shelf and then started loading up camping gear like lanterns, a sleeping bag, a tent, a bunch of that freeze dried food and one of those camping toilets. I was about to get some fishing stuff when I saw the ammo cabinet open.
I was deciding between Federal and Core-Lokt 30.06 when some big mouth comes up and tells me to get out of his way cause needs all the .40 caliber in the cabinet. He's got a Smith and Wesson shoved in his fancy dress pants and completely ignores my Colt in the drop leg holster, my Python in the shoulder holster and my Mossie hanging over my back. I ignore them too and went for my Raven .25 in my vest pocket.
I pointed the tiny, yet lethal weapon in his face and tell him "I don't like hoarders or fancy pants like you who forgot their manners". Fancy Pants laughs at the Raven and says "Where did you get that? From the toy department?".
I was ticked and I forgot all the firearms training I had read online. I pulled the trigger and could have shot the guy, but forgot the safety was on. Fancy Pants sneers at me and goes for his .40 but was too jazzed up. The gun went off in his pants and shot his.. well you know what off or close to it.
This big blood stain appears on the guys's pants and he starts to freak. He reaches for me and grabs a hold of my vest and kind of falls on me. Well everyone's freaking cause his gun went off and I kind of fell backwards and this guy lands on top of me. He's getting all white and screeching in pain. I try and flip him off but between the Mossberg on my back and my big fat stomach, I am having a hard time sitting up.
I start freaking out myself having this dying guy on top of me so I start wiggling around on the floor like Curly in the Stooges until he falls to my right side. After that, I can't get up fast enough and get away from this place. I push my cart for the back and forget all about the ammo in the cabinet and everything else I missed including a toothbrush.
I practically run for the loading dock and throw everything into the back of the truck, which by now is riding low in the springs. I add my weight to the load and peel out for the interstate. This is not the way things are supposed to be going. What is the deal with all these other people? In the stories, everyone goes into Walmart and loads up two or three carts and makes a break for it. Sheesh. That guy's blood is on me.
I get on the interstate and for the FIRST time I catch a break. Traffic west bound is light. My plan is to head to a state park about an hour outside of town and set up a camp hidden far back in the woods off a fire road I found last year. From there I will monitor the radio and do some foraging on the interstate once things quiet down. I dig around in the console and find a Mountain Dew and slam it one big long gulp. I gotta get that sick taste out of my mouth.
I try to put that guys face out of my mind but when I do, I think about that drunk guy at the window. The window is still blown out and some of his blood and stuff is on the door frame. I gotta pull over and get this cleaned up but first let me make some tracks away from town.
Just then, Lady Luck stepped out and Murphy hopped aboard. I felt a thump under the truck and then it starts to ride slightly to the right. Great. I got a blowout. I hope its not one of the inside tires. Those are a real killer to change. In fact last time, I took it to the dealership to change it because I couldn't figure that out.
I pull to the side of the dark interstate and slowly get out. My back is killing me from all the heavy lifting and that scuffle in the Walmart. And this extra weight I packed on since my divorce can't help, but that's the ex's fault. Women, sheesh.
I stagger around the back of the truck and was relieved to see it was the outside tire. Then the fun begins, getting the spare and tools out. I have my Maglight for light, but wish I had something brighter. Oh well. This shouldn't take long.
About fifteen minutes later I managed to get the spare down from the carrier under the bed when headlights illuminated the back of my truck. Swell. Might be trouble so I go for the passenger door and retrieve an adequate response. I pulled out my Ruger Mini 14 Ranch Rifle with the nickel finish and forty round jungle magazine; FMJ on top, hollow point on bottom. Say hi to my death stick you freaks!
The car behind me is some sort of low rider Pontiac those bangers love to ride around in. Two baggy pants step out of the car and before they can lay some ebonics on me, I raise my Mini 14 and tell them to reach for the sky. Too bad, one of them goes for the handgun in the front of his low rider pants.
Pow, pow, pow! I start unloading the Mini on the driver and then swept across to the passenger side. Then something went wrong. My left arm felt sort of numb, like it was plunged in ice water or something.
It must have affected my shooting because I hit the passenger low, in his upper leg and crotch. Sure, it dropped him like any other fella, but it definately was not center mass like those online stories tell you to hit. With my arm rapidly going number, I swept the rifle one more time across the Pontiac's windshield in case another bad guy or two are hiding in the backseat.
The magazine hit empty and the bolt slid back so I tried to pull the spent mag with my right hand and hold the Mini by the upper. No such luck as my left hand couldn't hold a feather in its current state so the rifle clattered to the ground in front of me.
Maybe it was the sight of my Ruger hitting the ground with a finish marring fall that made me feel really nauseous suddenly. It didn't help that my vision was blurring and rapidly going black. I staggered towards the open Pontiac in order to check out the car and pick up the thugs guns and other goodies. I barely made it to the open door when I collapsed to my knees.
I was coherent long enough to look inside and see a small person, a kid no more than ten or eleven, clearly dead and covered with blood in the back seat. I must have hit him when I fired blindly into the car. Bummer.
But it did not matter much. I fell backwards and felt my head hit the ground with a thud. My body seemed to cease working and my bowels let go. Nasty. At that moment I realized what was happening; massive coronary. The stress, the exertion, the extra seventy five pounds I packed on with beer and junk food since the divorce finally caught up with me. Three years of sitting on my fat butt watching tv, cramming garbage in my face dreaming about the end of the world. Too bad, so sad. For me.
The last thing I remember seeing was one of the gang members pistol lying in the ground not six inches from my face. A Desert Eagle. Damn. I always wanted one of those. Then nothing.
The Suburban pulling the trailer coasted to stop next to the Ford pickup and Pontiac on the shoulder. A tall, lean man steps from the drivers side and cautiously walks around the front of the Chevy and looks over the scene. Three dead guys on the ground, one dead kid in the car. What looked like a Ruger Mini 14 lay next to the truck and at least one semi auto handgun near one of the victims.
A young man, high school age and clearly quarterback material joins the man on the side of the road.
"What happeend Dad?" the younger of the two asks.
"Looks like the fat guy had a flat and was planning on robbing these people in the car. He ended up shooting all of them but then was shot in the end. Look at all the blood on his pants and that vest."
"Check out the truck dad! Look at all those guns in there!".
"This must be the guy they were talking about on the radio a few minutes ago. Driving around shooting up the town. Things are bad enough there and now him".
"Should we just leave him here?"
"Him, yes, son. The guns and the ammo, no. Don't touch the guns he's wearing or the rifle on the ground. But the rest of them, except for that FAL, can go in the trailer. The ammo too".
"Why not the FAL, dad? And isn't that stealing?"
"There are some spent .308 rounds in the front seat, son. I bet he shot a few folks with that rifle and I don't want anything to do with it. As for the rest, tonight showed me what happens when things go south in a hurry. We can't take any chances that some other goon like this one won't take the rest of these guns and kill some other folks. I know. It doesn't make sense, but trust me on this one".
The two men quickly moved the ammo cans and guns to the trailer and locked it up. A voice called from the front seat of the Suburban.
"Honey the news is on again!"
"OK, dear".
In Washington, the Vice President was sworn in at eight o'clock local time only minutes after the President suffered what experts are calling a complete mental breakdown. At seven PM this evening, the President appeared on national television declaring economic collapse and pending military invasion by United Nations forces. Experts are speculating this might have been caused by the President's recent re-election loss and the economic problems which have plagued his administration and the country the past four years. The now former President was taken to Andrews Air Force base for observation. President elect Paul said the nation's thoughts were with the former President and his family during this trying time... In local news, police have managed to stabilize the sudden outbreaks of unrest and violence which flared briefly after the President's inflammatory announcement...
"Hey dad. Did you want to get all those canned goods from that pick up?" said the teen pointing at the huge pile of canned Spam, tamles and chili in the back of the truck.
"Are you kidding? That stuff will kill you" said the father.
The End
1. It's fiction.
2. It's my first work of fiction published here. You know the saying about if you don't like it and what you can do.
3. It was fun writing it. I came up with the idea driving home with my son and wrote the first part out loud for him to judge. He wanted to know what happened so I wrote it down.
4. Don't reprint it.
5. If you really like it, point others to the URL and share it that way. Hey, I need the traffic and it keeps me writing more.
6. If you really like it, I have a bunch more in here (points at head) and would love to write it. Leave a comment and say so.
7. Thanks for reading this far.
Do you have food insurance?
Enjoy!
IT happened about halfway through my standard Thursday night dinner - two McDonald Quarter Pounders, two large fries and a six pack of Miller's Genuine Draft. That ego maniac president came on and stated the obvious - the US was broke. There would be no more welfare, social security or food stamps. In an effort to collect outstanding debts, the UN would be landing about a half a million blue hats tonight at airports around the country. Then he said good night and good luck and he walked off the screen.
I didn't wait to hear what happened next. I turned off the set and threw the remote across the room. It was a matter of time before law and order broke down and things went crazy. Good thing I was as prepped as best as I could be. I looked around at the guns I had acquired over the past three years. They were scattered through out the living room, kitchen and dining room (as well as in my bed room) where they would be handy for just in case. Like today.
My jaw was still on the living room floor taking in all that had happened when I heard a crash outside. Looking out the window, sure enough its a couple of the the gang banger lowlife neighbors next door knocking over my trashcans on their way to pay me a visit. I guess they figure with no welfare check coming from taxpayers LIKE ME, they plan on making a withdraw direct.
Not wasting time, I choose the right tool for the job from my armory. I pick my Mossberg 590 with extended tube, elastic side saddle, sythetic stock and muzzle break. It was loaded with 6 00 bucks I had picked up online from one of the ammo sites I read about online.
After racking a fresh shell in the pipe, I stepped out on the porch in a move I had rehearsed in my mind a dozen times "Come and get it you pieces of scum!" I yelled and let Gang Banger number one have it front and center. GB number two behind him reaches for something in his baggy pants and that give me time to rack shell two into place with his name on it. "Kaboom!", the Mossberg does it's job and makes me a happy customer.
I hustled down to the waiting bodies and turn them over looking for "war booty". Sure enough, number one has a Glock 21 in his pants along with a half dozen spare mags (no wonder his pants were failing down!). Banger two has a matching Glock with four mags and surprise - a wad of twenties and fifties. Drug money no doubt. It's mine for now and will go a long way on some last minute preps.
This was just like those end of the world stories online. I discovered them a few years back and read them every chance I get. I never bothered with buying a computer not when I could use the one in the break room at work for free. I just sneak out a few minutes early for lunch and hog it for the whole hour before anyone else can get claim it. Too bad, so sad for them.
I take my spoils and decide its time to bug out of dodge! I head for the house and grab my left over Quarter Pounder and cram half in my mouth. Gonna need some fuel to get this job done!
I start with my guns and ammo. I have more than a dozen choice pieces and thousands of rounds for each stored in .50 caliber ammo cans. The cans line my living room wall and I frequently like to get all my guns out and line them up in front of the ammo cans and just look at them. Its really cool.
Forty five minutes later and I have only managed to get the ammo into the bed of my Ford Extended Crew Cab Four by Four. I had to take two breaks and the same number of Cokes to keep the ole engine running.
By the way, who am I? My name is Bob Kirgus. I am 45, divorced and living the life on my own in a two bedroom house in a town not much different than yours. I work as foreman down at United Mail Service, you know, the guys in the red and yellow trucks. I am the local trouble maker on the job and have a great time being the "difficult one" my boss refers to at our team meetings. Ha ha! Wonder how HE'S doing with all this? Bet he has his head in some three ring manual trying to figure out the answer to S-H-T-F. Ha!
Right now, I got to get the truck loaded with food and ammo and head for the hills. I imagine this place is going to go up like a road flare once the "Don't Haves" realize there's no more free lunch.
I start on the guns and try to decide the best choices for the ride. The Mossberg for sure. And my Colt 1911A, parkerized, with laser sites and extended custom made Beaver mags and 185gr rounds. But should I include my loaded McMillian TAC-50 (cashed out my 401K for that one!) with flash suppresor in the front seat as well? What if I run across a road block like in those stories? What about my Main Battle Rifle? My loaded Springfield M1A1 Match with synthetic stock and 32 twenty round magazines loaded with Lake City (purchased after the divorce, thank you very much, from my share of the sale of the former Miss Cheapskate Ball and Chain and my home!).
By now, its been two hours since the Big Mouth's announcement and its getting late. I end up throwing all the guns in the front and back seat of the Ford and decide to play it by ear. Then I load up all the canned goods, (good stuff like Hormel chili, Spam, canned tamales, and so on) from the kitchen and grab the rest of my Cokes and Mountain Dew from the pantry. I can't decide whether to take the buckets of sugar, flour and baking stuff I planned on learning to use. In the end I just leave them and the pots and pans and whatever for the looters.
After putting the food in the truck bed, I change into my bug out clothes. A pair of jeans. t-shirt, suspenders (damn gut!), my favorite team's ball cap, photographer vest and fanny pack. I lace up my boots (with a break to catch my breath between each boot).
If you are wondering, my vest is loaded with spare mags for my Raven .25 back up gun, a dozen protein bars, two bic lighters, a compass, notebook, pen, 50" of paracord, my Streamlight tactical flashlight, spare batteries, a half dozen 12 guage slugs and buckshot, p38 can opener, rain poncho and a Cold Steel folder).
Yeah, the vest is heavy, but I got enough stuff here to save my backside in ANY situation. My fanny pack has some of the same stuff plus a roll of Charmin, flattened and stored in a two gallon Ziploc bag and some contractor trash bags.
I stuff my big blue Samsonite suitcase with jeans, t-shits and underwear and haul out for the front of the house. Damn! I forgot my toothbrush, razor and bathroom stuff. Oh well, I can get a tooth brush on the road and I might as well grow a beard. In a few weeks the thin veneer of civilization with its shaving, alimony and red and yellow United Mail Service uniforms will be HISTORY, baby!
I head out the door, but not before throwing the house keys on the couch. I won't need this place anymore! Take that fat cat Mr. Banker!
I snag my four NATO jerry cans from the garage and heave them into the back of the truck bed. Two are empty so I better grab some more fuel before I leave town. I crank up that bad boy and squeal out of the driveway and down the street.
But that has to wait because no sooner had I get around the corner when I run into trouble. Again.
A fruity looking Volvo with a "Hug the Planet" sticker on the bumper is stopped in the middle of the street. Two more gang bangers have pulled the occupants (Mr and Mrs Flower Power) out and are giving them the going over. I slam on the brakes, step out and introduce them to Mr. Springfield M1A. Bam bam bam! The bangers go down and unfortunately, Mr Flower Power took one to the head in the rush. Adrenaline I guess. Not my fault.
Mrs Flower Power, is stunned. Probably the new found respect and admiration she has for a REAL MAN like me. But its not for long. Banger on the ground is still alive and puts a nine into her back. I snap off three shots into the ground from my Springfield before number four finds the mark. No more outings for that upstanding youth as the missed rounds whine off into the night air.
Again, I help myself the leftovers. This time I end up with a Taurus nine millimeter Barretta clone and a Smith and Wesson .38 with a five inch barrel. I didn't know bangers went for classics! Some more ammo and spending money came with the deal as well. Too bad for the Flower Powers, but the tough new world probably won't come with lattes. Ha! Too bad, so sad.
I get back on the road and head for the gas station and get another dose of bad news. There is a line around the block for the four pumps. No surprise, but I don't have time to wait.
I nose the Ford in between two cars already at the pumps, a Honda and a Toyota Prius, and get out with my 1911A. I fire a round into the air and shout "We can do things my way or the hard way! What's it going to be?". Some gal screams and a guy tears away from his car for the safety of the ladies room, so I start filling my truck up.
Aboo or Habib who runs the place comes out and demands cash or no gas. No problem and I start peeling Jacksons and Grants off the bangers flash wad and Mr MidEast's eyes light up like he was in paradise and is meeting his 50 virgins. After twenty minutes (hey, I got three tanks on the truck and two of the jerry cans to fill), I get back on the road.
I got a bad case of indigestion coming on. Must have been that last burger. And my shoulder is really hurting from firing the Springfield. I wish I would have spent more time at the range but that used up ammo. I liked keeping my ammo all together and wanted as much as possible when the baloon went up. Oh well.
Nothing between me and the wilderness but.. hey, the Albertsons grocery store has some activity so I pull in. Might as well grab some spare grub while the stores are still open. Too bad though. Folks are streaming in and out with full carts. The only problem is those coming out are being relieved of their goods by those outside. Time for backup plan two! I figured this out after lunch one day reading those online stories.
I pull around back and see the loading door is open. I back the Ford up and grab my Colt Python .357 with chrome finish and Pachmeyer grips, six spare speed loaders and my 4 battery Monster Maglight. In the back door and.. wonders of wonders. Several pallets of Spam, chili, beef stew, tamales and lots of Cokes and Mountain Dew are waiting just inside the door.
I pull my Cold Steel boot knife and hack into the plastic wrap on the pallets. Next I grab a dolly and start loading cases and taking them to the Ford. About ten minutes later (and a break for the old man. This is a lot of work!), I hear someone walking into the back room. Some guy with a crew cut and white apron on comes in and asks "Hey! What are you doing?".
Might be trouble so I level the Python at him and tell him he can get in the way and in the grave or turn around and act like he saw nothing. Crew Cut wets his pants right there and starts blubbering about his mom, his auntie, some guy he's pals with named Bruce and his little dog at home and a whole bunch of other stuff. I don't have time for this so I put a round into a big stack of Depends diaper cartons to get his attention. Well ironically, that makes Crew Cut take a dump in his pants and fall on the ground babbling and bawling.
I hear feet and voices coming from the store, so I make my exit. The truck is pretty loaded down with my food from home, ammo, guns and now several cases of canned food, so it's probably best. Anyway, it was starting to stink in there.
My chest is really burning with indigestion now. It feels like theres a lead weight on it. I gotta grab some Tums or something. You never read about that happening in those adventure stories.
Now, I am on the road and heading out of town, but sure enough, I hit a road block. Well, it looked like one to me. Two cars are plowed into each other and blocking most of the road. There is some lady yelling at this old guy who looks like he's drunk. It's gotta be a trap so I better be careful.
I grab my Mossberg again, but figure its time for my FAL to get in on the action instead. I shove a 30 rounder of South African surplus in my European wonder weapon and grab a bandoleer of 16 more mags from the back set and try to step out of the cab in one quick move. But my gut hits the steering wheel and I have to raise it up to get out. The bandoleer is in my left hand so I throw it on the dash when drunk guy pounds on the passenger window.
I jumped about ten feet when that happens and I break some seriously loud wind. But that wasn't loudest thing. The FAL goes off in my right hand and takes out the whole passenger window and most of Drunk Guy's face.
Sheet! I hadn't meant to do that. I can't remember if the safety was on or not. The lady in the street goes into hysterics right then and there and won't stop screeching. No time to waste. I am sweating like a pig and my heart is going a million miles an hour. I start the truck up and back up. I put it in forward and head to the right and around the wreck in front of me. I think I rolled over the drunk guy at that point but was too amped up to think about it, I just went over the curb, grass and back onto the road leaving that screaming lady in the middle of the street.
I hope she didn't get my license plate and that had me shaking bad. I wish I had a beer or something. Damn my chest hurts. But you know what? The poop has hit the fan and the cops are going to be too busy taking care of their own families to worry about me! Too bad so sad. The guy was probably some rich banker getting drunk because his house of fiat money had collapsed. I bet he was going to hitch a ride or demand my truck. Jerk. Probably deserved it.
I was about to get on the interstate when I saw that blue and white sign calling my name - Super WalMart. I knew I needed a toothbrush and maybe a few other things. I would be living on the road and in the wilderness now and there is no better place for a few last minute preps than Wally World!
Sure enough, there was a mob going in and out, but I didn't let that stop me. I pulled around back again and went in accompanied by my good buddies, Mr Mossberg and Mrs Colt and Python. I went through the double doors in the store room into the store fully intending on heading for the pharmacy and personal items when I saw the sporting goods section was right in front of me.
Someone left the cart for a second so I tossed their stuff on the floor and snagged it. I grabbed all the twelve gauge bird shot they had on the shelf and then started loading up camping gear like lanterns, a sleeping bag, a tent, a bunch of that freeze dried food and one of those camping toilets. I was about to get some fishing stuff when I saw the ammo cabinet open.
I was deciding between Federal and Core-Lokt 30.06 when some big mouth comes up and tells me to get out of his way cause needs all the .40 caliber in the cabinet. He's got a Smith and Wesson shoved in his fancy dress pants and completely ignores my Colt in the drop leg holster, my Python in the shoulder holster and my Mossie hanging over my back. I ignore them too and went for my Raven .25 in my vest pocket.
I pointed the tiny, yet lethal weapon in his face and tell him "I don't like hoarders or fancy pants like you who forgot their manners". Fancy Pants laughs at the Raven and says "Where did you get that? From the toy department?".
I was ticked and I forgot all the firearms training I had read online. I pulled the trigger and could have shot the guy, but forgot the safety was on. Fancy Pants sneers at me and goes for his .40 but was too jazzed up. The gun went off in his pants and shot his.. well you know what off or close to it.
This big blood stain appears on the guys's pants and he starts to freak. He reaches for me and grabs a hold of my vest and kind of falls on me. Well everyone's freaking cause his gun went off and I kind of fell backwards and this guy lands on top of me. He's getting all white and screeching in pain. I try and flip him off but between the Mossberg on my back and my big fat stomach, I am having a hard time sitting up.
I start freaking out myself having this dying guy on top of me so I start wiggling around on the floor like Curly in the Stooges until he falls to my right side. After that, I can't get up fast enough and get away from this place. I push my cart for the back and forget all about the ammo in the cabinet and everything else I missed including a toothbrush.
I practically run for the loading dock and throw everything into the back of the truck, which by now is riding low in the springs. I add my weight to the load and peel out for the interstate. This is not the way things are supposed to be going. What is the deal with all these other people? In the stories, everyone goes into Walmart and loads up two or three carts and makes a break for it. Sheesh. That guy's blood is on me.
I get on the interstate and for the FIRST time I catch a break. Traffic west bound is light. My plan is to head to a state park about an hour outside of town and set up a camp hidden far back in the woods off a fire road I found last year. From there I will monitor the radio and do some foraging on the interstate once things quiet down. I dig around in the console and find a Mountain Dew and slam it one big long gulp. I gotta get that sick taste out of my mouth.
I try to put that guys face out of my mind but when I do, I think about that drunk guy at the window. The window is still blown out and some of his blood and stuff is on the door frame. I gotta pull over and get this cleaned up but first let me make some tracks away from town.
Just then, Lady Luck stepped out and Murphy hopped aboard. I felt a thump under the truck and then it starts to ride slightly to the right. Great. I got a blowout. I hope its not one of the inside tires. Those are a real killer to change. In fact last time, I took it to the dealership to change it because I couldn't figure that out.
I pull to the side of the dark interstate and slowly get out. My back is killing me from all the heavy lifting and that scuffle in the Walmart. And this extra weight I packed on since my divorce can't help, but that's the ex's fault. Women, sheesh.
I stagger around the back of the truck and was relieved to see it was the outside tire. Then the fun begins, getting the spare and tools out. I have my Maglight for light, but wish I had something brighter. Oh well. This shouldn't take long.
About fifteen minutes later I managed to get the spare down from the carrier under the bed when headlights illuminated the back of my truck. Swell. Might be trouble so I go for the passenger door and retrieve an adequate response. I pulled out my Ruger Mini 14 Ranch Rifle with the nickel finish and forty round jungle magazine; FMJ on top, hollow point on bottom. Say hi to my death stick you freaks!
The car behind me is some sort of low rider Pontiac those bangers love to ride around in. Two baggy pants step out of the car and before they can lay some ebonics on me, I raise my Mini 14 and tell them to reach for the sky. Too bad, one of them goes for the handgun in the front of his low rider pants.
Pow, pow, pow! I start unloading the Mini on the driver and then swept across to the passenger side. Then something went wrong. My left arm felt sort of numb, like it was plunged in ice water or something.
It must have affected my shooting because I hit the passenger low, in his upper leg and crotch. Sure, it dropped him like any other fella, but it definately was not center mass like those online stories tell you to hit. With my arm rapidly going number, I swept the rifle one more time across the Pontiac's windshield in case another bad guy or two are hiding in the backseat.
The magazine hit empty and the bolt slid back so I tried to pull the spent mag with my right hand and hold the Mini by the upper. No such luck as my left hand couldn't hold a feather in its current state so the rifle clattered to the ground in front of me.
Maybe it was the sight of my Ruger hitting the ground with a finish marring fall that made me feel really nauseous suddenly. It didn't help that my vision was blurring and rapidly going black. I staggered towards the open Pontiac in order to check out the car and pick up the thugs guns and other goodies. I barely made it to the open door when I collapsed to my knees.
I was coherent long enough to look inside and see a small person, a kid no more than ten or eleven, clearly dead and covered with blood in the back seat. I must have hit him when I fired blindly into the car. Bummer.
But it did not matter much. I fell backwards and felt my head hit the ground with a thud. My body seemed to cease working and my bowels let go. Nasty. At that moment I realized what was happening; massive coronary. The stress, the exertion, the extra seventy five pounds I packed on with beer and junk food since the divorce finally caught up with me. Three years of sitting on my fat butt watching tv, cramming garbage in my face dreaming about the end of the world. Too bad, so sad. For me.
The last thing I remember seeing was one of the gang members pistol lying in the ground not six inches from my face. A Desert Eagle. Damn. I always wanted one of those. Then nothing.
The Suburban pulling the trailer coasted to stop next to the Ford pickup and Pontiac on the shoulder. A tall, lean man steps from the drivers side and cautiously walks around the front of the Chevy and looks over the scene. Three dead guys on the ground, one dead kid in the car. What looked like a Ruger Mini 14 lay next to the truck and at least one semi auto handgun near one of the victims.
A young man, high school age and clearly quarterback material joins the man on the side of the road.
"What happeend Dad?" the younger of the two asks.
"Looks like the fat guy had a flat and was planning on robbing these people in the car. He ended up shooting all of them but then was shot in the end. Look at all the blood on his pants and that vest."
"Check out the truck dad! Look at all those guns in there!".
"This must be the guy they were talking about on the radio a few minutes ago. Driving around shooting up the town. Things are bad enough there and now him".
"Should we just leave him here?"
"Him, yes, son. The guns and the ammo, no. Don't touch the guns he's wearing or the rifle on the ground. But the rest of them, except for that FAL, can go in the trailer. The ammo too".
"Why not the FAL, dad? And isn't that stealing?"
"There are some spent .308 rounds in the front seat, son. I bet he shot a few folks with that rifle and I don't want anything to do with it. As for the rest, tonight showed me what happens when things go south in a hurry. We can't take any chances that some other goon like this one won't take the rest of these guns and kill some other folks. I know. It doesn't make sense, but trust me on this one".
The two men quickly moved the ammo cans and guns to the trailer and locked it up. A voice called from the front seat of the Suburban.
"Honey the news is on again!"
"OK, dear".
In Washington, the Vice President was sworn in at eight o'clock local time only minutes after the President suffered what experts are calling a complete mental breakdown. At seven PM this evening, the President appeared on national television declaring economic collapse and pending military invasion by United Nations forces. Experts are speculating this might have been caused by the President's recent re-election loss and the economic problems which have plagued his administration and the country the past four years. The now former President was taken to Andrews Air Force base for observation. President elect Paul said the nation's thoughts were with the former President and his family during this trying time... In local news, police have managed to stabilize the sudden outbreaks of unrest and violence which flared briefly after the President's inflammatory announcement...
"Hey dad. Did you want to get all those canned goods from that pick up?" said the teen pointing at the huge pile of canned Spam, tamles and chili in the back of the truck.
"Are you kidding? That stuff will kill you" said the father.
The End
1. It's fiction.
2. It's my first work of fiction published here. You know the saying about if you don't like it and what you can do.
3. It was fun writing it. I came up with the idea driving home with my son and wrote the first part out loud for him to judge. He wanted to know what happened so I wrote it down.
4. Don't reprint it.
5. If you really like it, point others to the URL and share it that way. Hey, I need the traffic and it keeps me writing more.
6. If you really like it, I have a bunch more in here (points at head) and would love to write it. Leave a comment and say so.
7. Thanks for reading this far.
Do you have food insurance?
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
SHTF Review: Alas Babylon
In high school, I think sophomore year, I was in American Lit or some similar named course. We were given a reading list of 7 or 8 books which during the year we would read and discuss (and write papers!) about in class.
During those wonderful, non-PC, heady days of the 1970's and 1980's, reading lists would invariably include "Alas Babylon" and/or "On the Beach", both post-nuclear war fiction accounts.
I don't know what encouraged the reading expert to high schools in that era to add those titles to the required reading list, but I appreciated it. I was always a fan of science fiction and gravitated towards end of the world stories in particular. I would gaze over the paperbacks in B Dalton or Walden Books at the mall and search for covers with nuclear bombs or pictures of a ruined city or something.
I had never heard of Pat Frank's "Alas Babylon" before I was handed my reading list in high school and probably because the cover of that book often featured a) no picture or b) a group of mismatched people staring at what looked like a sun on the horizon. Nope, I probably thought it was some "literature book" like "East of Eden" or "Grapes of Wrath" and promptly ignored it at the time.
"Alas Babylon" takes place in late 1950's Florida and follows one Randy Bragg, a playboy middle aged attorney minding the aging family home and orange groves and keeping the local bourbon and scotch trade going briskly. Bragg's big brother, the responsible one, is an officer at Offut Air Force Base in Omaha and sends Randy a cryptic telegram - Alas Babylon. Turns out this is their code word for "The big one is about to happen".
Fortunately, along with the telegram comes a check for five grand for "preps" and after a humorous run in with the local banker cashing the check, Randy starts stocking up. The problem is three fold.
First, Randy lives in Fort Repose, a town of only about ten thousand and with it the limited resources available such as only one grocery store, gas station and (yikes!) liquor store. Randy's ten full grocery carts attract some attention.
Second, Randy only has about twenty four hours to get ready. Part of which he devotes to a nap!
Third, with the check and the warning comes big brother's wife and two kids who need to be collected at the airport in Orlando before the bombs go off.
Top things off with Randy forgetting some important things like laundry detergent but remembering some decent 1950's trade goods later like lots of coffee and booze.
Family arrives, bombs go off and chaos ensues. Randy is transformed from mildly alcoholic recluse to head of household, militia leader and the face of law and order in Central Florida. He collects a motley crew at his rambling home including a humane doctor, a crusty old admiral, jack of all trades Air Force sergeant, a successful retired business man and his lovely daughter.
Besides having to figure out where water comes from, food production, the value of salt and how to perform surgery with steak knives and fishing line, Randy takes on highway men, edgy neighbors, lonely housewives, radioactive jewelry and a dangerous black marketer lady with eyes for him.
"Alas Babylon" was penned during a crucial time for atomic America. The Russians had launched Sputnik and were going toe to toe with the U.S. in the development of ballistic submarines and transcontinental bombers. Most of the actual war described in the book takes place over months, not hours as it would happen today. There were no satellite communications in this time, so radio and TV were line of site and once gone, leave the residents of Fort Repose in the dark information wise.
However, the characters in "Alas Babylon" still had useful skills reflective of the time period, such as Malachi and his family next door who raise their own crops, livestock, make moonshine and keep the Model T running. Also, seems everyone knows how to can, hunt, fish and keep a household running without a microwave, refrigerator or working air conditioner.
"Alas Babylon" has one thing over much other survival fiction these days; its a good story. The characters are real, the events range from frightening to hum drum. Maybe it was the way people conducted themselves in the 1950's, but there is no need for long blab fests or group meetings symptomatic in survival stories online. Responsibility is thrust upon individuals and they accept it with stoic silence and resolve. The characters are modeled after the same people who fought and won World War II; life is tough and getting tougher.
"Alas Babylon" is a great story and belongs on everyone's survival bookshelf. I have seen a copy available for reading online for free, but Alas, Babylon
is available in paperback still. Hopefully, for the high school reader, though I doubt it. It might be too relevant.
Good luck,
During those wonderful, non-PC, heady days of the 1970's and 1980's, reading lists would invariably include "Alas Babylon" and/or "On the Beach", both post-nuclear war fiction accounts.
I don't know what encouraged the reading expert to high schools in that era to add those titles to the required reading list, but I appreciated it. I was always a fan of science fiction and gravitated towards end of the world stories in particular. I would gaze over the paperbacks in B Dalton or Walden Books at the mall and search for covers with nuclear bombs or pictures of a ruined city or something.
I had never heard of Pat Frank's "Alas Babylon" before I was handed my reading list in high school and probably because the cover of that book often featured a) no picture or b) a group of mismatched people staring at what looked like a sun on the horizon. Nope, I probably thought it was some "literature book" like "East of Eden" or "Grapes of Wrath" and promptly ignored it at the time.
"Alas Babylon" takes place in late 1950's Florida and follows one Randy Bragg, a playboy middle aged attorney minding the aging family home and orange groves and keeping the local bourbon and scotch trade going briskly. Bragg's big brother, the responsible one, is an officer at Offut Air Force Base in Omaha and sends Randy a cryptic telegram - Alas Babylon. Turns out this is their code word for "The big one is about to happen".
Fortunately, along with the telegram comes a check for five grand for "preps" and after a humorous run in with the local banker cashing the check, Randy starts stocking up. The problem is three fold.
First, Randy lives in Fort Repose, a town of only about ten thousand and with it the limited resources available such as only one grocery store, gas station and (yikes!) liquor store. Randy's ten full grocery carts attract some attention.
Second, Randy only has about twenty four hours to get ready. Part of which he devotes to a nap!
Third, with the check and the warning comes big brother's wife and two kids who need to be collected at the airport in Orlando before the bombs go off.
Top things off with Randy forgetting some important things like laundry detergent but remembering some decent 1950's trade goods later like lots of coffee and booze.
Family arrives, bombs go off and chaos ensues. Randy is transformed from mildly alcoholic recluse to head of household, militia leader and the face of law and order in Central Florida. He collects a motley crew at his rambling home including a humane doctor, a crusty old admiral, jack of all trades Air Force sergeant, a successful retired business man and his lovely daughter.
Besides having to figure out where water comes from, food production, the value of salt and how to perform surgery with steak knives and fishing line, Randy takes on highway men, edgy neighbors, lonely housewives, radioactive jewelry and a dangerous black marketer lady with eyes for him.
"Alas Babylon" was penned during a crucial time for atomic America. The Russians had launched Sputnik and were going toe to toe with the U.S. in the development of ballistic submarines and transcontinental bombers. Most of the actual war described in the book takes place over months, not hours as it would happen today. There were no satellite communications in this time, so radio and TV were line of site and once gone, leave the residents of Fort Repose in the dark information wise.
However, the characters in "Alas Babylon" still had useful skills reflective of the time period, such as Malachi and his family next door who raise their own crops, livestock, make moonshine and keep the Model T running. Also, seems everyone knows how to can, hunt, fish and keep a household running without a microwave, refrigerator or working air conditioner.
"Alas Babylon" has one thing over much other survival fiction these days; its a good story. The characters are real, the events range from frightening to hum drum. Maybe it was the way people conducted themselves in the 1950's, but there is no need for long blab fests or group meetings symptomatic in survival stories online. Responsibility is thrust upon individuals and they accept it with stoic silence and resolve. The characters are modeled after the same people who fought and won World War II; life is tough and getting tougher.
"Alas Babylon" is a great story and belongs on everyone's survival bookshelf. I have seen a copy available for reading online for free, but Alas, Babylon
is available in paperback still. Hopefully, for the high school reader, though I doubt it. It might be too relevant. Good luck,
Thursday, March 12, 2009
SHTF: SHTF Fiction Online
We all love reading end of the world fiction, right? Thanks to the Internet, there is a wealth of entertaining and free stories available online for any and all to read.
Look around and you may find the next "Lights Out
" or "Deep Winter
" out there.
The trick is finding the best sites for SHTF fiction. There are many sites which are no longer maintained and feature older works. Most of the sites out there feature original works but also include personal survival stories ("I was lost in the woods..") as well as reading suggestions and movies.
Please note: There is a problem with many authors as they tend to write part time and when the mood strikes them (and when work and home allow!), so some stories are incomplete.
Here are the places I find the best SHTF stories.
SHTFiction
OK, this site is mine and has a few short stories in progress, most of which are finished, but all which are not getting enough feedback or criticism to move faster. Please visit and leave a comment.
Note: A Change of Major is my latest story and is nearly complete.
TimeBomb 2000 - Member Stories
This is where Deep Winter, Shattered, We Interrupt This Program and so many other great stories got their start.
Lately, there have not been as many quality entries, but all of the past stories, with the exception of TSherry's work, have been maintained for reading.
The Preparedness Site
This was the old Fallout Shelter 653 website now redone in 2008. This site features the original work of Jerry D Young, probably the most prolific SHTF fiction writer out there, as well as other works.
Preparing for the end of the world? Click Here!
The Survivalist Boards
One of my favorite sites to visit. The stories here are first rate and are updated regularly. There are a couple of authors who routinely start stories and never finish them, but that is common with this genre.
However, there are some great stories which will keep you riveted to your seat. Check out Montani Semper Liberi. Gripping story!
AR15.Com
Affectionately known as ARFCOM, the Essential Survival Guides and Fiction section of the forum has some great stories.
Since this site is primarily about the AR15 weapon, nearly every story features that particular rifle prominently.
Best picks - Darkest Part of Day I and II. How in the world the author "fast45" can write something of this quality part time is beyond me.
Survival Monkey
Not so many stories, but several made their start here. Worth perusing for new titles.
Frugal Squirrels
Was one of the oldest and greatest. This is where Lights Out started and Gary Ott (Tired Old Man) left his mark. Now, it has been taken down and is no longer available but searching the internet for archived stories may prove useful.
There are other sites which I come across from time to time, but these are a good place to start if you are new to SHTF fiction.
Happy reading!
Advice for the day:
Rain barrels are a great way to save water for home and plant use. Use the down spout of your rain gutters and place an old trash can underneath. It is best to put a piece of screen over the top to keep out leaves and trash and to keep mosquitoes from breeding. There are plenty of "How To" online. Google it.
Get Food Insurance Now - Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food
Look around and you may find the next "Lights Out
" or "Deep Winter" out there. The trick is finding the best sites for SHTF fiction. There are many sites which are no longer maintained and feature older works. Most of the sites out there feature original works but also include personal survival stories ("I was lost in the woods..") as well as reading suggestions and movies.
Please note: There is a problem with many authors as they tend to write part time and when the mood strikes them (and when work and home allow!), so some stories are incomplete.
Here are the places I find the best SHTF stories.
SHTFiction
OK, this site is mine and has a few short stories in progress, most of which are finished, but all which are not getting enough feedback or criticism to move faster. Please visit and leave a comment.
Note: A Change of Major is my latest story and is nearly complete.
TimeBomb 2000 - Member Stories
This is where Deep Winter, Shattered, We Interrupt This Program and so many other great stories got their start.
Lately, there have not been as many quality entries, but all of the past stories, with the exception of TSherry's work, have been maintained for reading.
The Preparedness Site
This was the old Fallout Shelter 653 website now redone in 2008. This site features the original work of Jerry D Young, probably the most prolific SHTF fiction writer out there, as well as other works.
Preparing for the end of the world? Click Here!
The Survivalist Boards
One of my favorite sites to visit. The stories here are first rate and are updated regularly. There are a couple of authors who routinely start stories and never finish them, but that is common with this genre.
However, there are some great stories which will keep you riveted to your seat. Check out Montani Semper Liberi. Gripping story!
AR15.Com
Affectionately known as ARFCOM, the Essential Survival Guides and Fiction section of the forum has some great stories.
Since this site is primarily about the AR15 weapon, nearly every story features that particular rifle prominently.
Best picks - Darkest Part of Day I and II. How in the world the author "fast45" can write something of this quality part time is beyond me.
Survival Monkey
Not so many stories, but several made their start here. Worth perusing for new titles.
Frugal Squirrels
Was one of the oldest and greatest. This is where Lights Out started and Gary Ott (Tired Old Man) left his mark. Now, it has been taken down and is no longer available but searching the internet for archived stories may prove useful.
There are other sites which I come across from time to time, but these are a good place to start if you are new to SHTF fiction.
Happy reading!
Advice for the day:
Rain barrels are a great way to save water for home and plant use. Use the down spout of your rain gutters and place an old trash can underneath. It is best to put a piece of screen over the top to keep out leaves and trash and to keep mosquitoes from breeding. There are plenty of "How To" online. Google it.
Get Food Insurance Now - Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food
Thursday, February 19, 2009
SHTF: Patriots Suviving the coming collapse
Since most of us are into preparedeness and survival, with the exception of an odd "lost in the woods" news article or a major event like Hurricane Katrina, we are left to our imaginations as to what "post-SHTF America" would look like.
And we are not alone..
For centuries, story tellers have dreamed up imaginary stories of survival and preparedness which in turn, inspire another generation of authors and writers.
Homer's "Illiad" and "Odyssey" and H.G. Wells "War of the Worlds" are both great literary works, but also great early works of survivalism. The legend of Atlantis and numerous stories in the Bible are also great influencers on the modern preparedness movement.
Patriots originally started as a shareware version on the Internet back in the mid-nineties and went by several different names; Triple Out, the Gray Nineties and finally, Patriots.
The story is simple. Economic meltdown of the U.S. followed by years of chaos. One group's story in Northern Idaho and how they prepared and survived the tough times. Lots, and I mean lots of details on how do survivalist things.
Patriots is now available for purchase only in book form online.
First, Patriots is a standard for modern survival stories. Nearly every author (online) follows the Patriots model for survival fiction. That includes..
Tell the story from the protagonist point of view.
Give plenty (read pages and pages) of technical details on preparedness preparation including retreat construction, name brands of products used, occasional references to websites (which is funny in a SHTF, non-internet world), lots of firearms descriptions/capabilities and sprinkle in a cast of bad guys with names like Scrag, Killer, Lefty and so on.
Continually preach the mantra of preparedness, financial frugality, the problems of the federal government, unwavering support for the constitution and the inherent danger of fiat currency.
Also frequently point out to readers "Don't Get Its" - those people who failed to prepare for emergencies and also who lived beyond their means. Those poor souls are treated savagely at each turn.
All conversations between characters are lectures on the above topics with little discourse between the characters present except for "straight lines" to keep the speaker going, such as "Gee, Bob, I thought our currency was backed by the government" or "Isn't the government here to help us and not hurt us?".
The end result is as the author likes to state, "Patriots - survival fiction neatly dressed as fiction".
Neatly, as in the eye of the beholder.
I have read Patriots on more than one occasion. I have visited the author's website and read his non-fiction comments and writings. I have tried really hard to like this book. But Patriots just doesn't do it for me.
First, Patriots has a two dimensional story line.
For instance, who really thinks 12 friends, not matter how long they have known each other, would really still be speaking after two years locked up in a cabin in the middle of nowhere?
In the first week or so of the Crunch, why wasn't at least one member of the Group curious enough to drive over to Bovill or Moscow or any other nearby town to see if the troubles had reached them yet? From what we learned later in the book, most of the problems never made it to central Idaho.
Who really thinks a bunch of city dwelling drug addicts and convicts are going to wander five hours from a major city, miles from any major highway while searching for a farm or ranch with enough food and gasoline to make it worth their while?
And who really thinks that the UN, with European soldiers, are going to invade and conquer the United States including huge underpopulated sections which primarily consist of rugged mountains and forests? European countries are more interested in invading a disco or something similar.
When I reread Patriots, I searched high and low for some sort of conflict between the characters such as whether or not to help others, or friction between friends or famiy. It never happened.
Further, most of the characters had a family members elsewhere yet no one had any interest in looking for them or trying to make contact. However, when two friends were trapped a few hundred miles away, the Group wasted no time driving through hostile territory to save them.
It got old having to wade through pages of how a character hooked up a Acme Super Solar Charger to a post next to his barn. And the constant product plugs were tedious as well.
And my biggest gripe: Every person in the book was identified by the type of firearm they carried.
I get tired of the survival manual mindset. I want to read a story first and a "how to book" third or fourth. Patriots is quite simply, not a very good story.
Patriots would be a lot better if there were more of a story line. It starts out well, has great potential, then gets real boring real fast.
Hey, if you enjoy Patriots and don't mind some of the points made above, no problem. But if you are looking for a good story "FOC", check out Lights Out, Deep Winter or Shattered - all of which are available online.
And we are not alone..
For centuries, story tellers have dreamed up imaginary stories of survival and preparedness which in turn, inspire another generation of authors and writers.
Homer's "Illiad" and "Odyssey" and H.G. Wells "War of the Worlds" are both great literary works, but also great early works of survivalism. The legend of Atlantis and numerous stories in the Bible are also great influencers on the modern preparedness movement.
Patriots originally started as a shareware version on the Internet back in the mid-nineties and went by several different names; Triple Out, the Gray Nineties and finally, Patriots.
The story is simple. Economic meltdown of the U.S. followed by years of chaos. One group's story in Northern Idaho and how they prepared and survived the tough times. Lots, and I mean lots of details on how do survivalist things.
Patriots is now available for purchase only in book form online.
First, Patriots is a standard for modern survival stories. Nearly every author (online) follows the Patriots model for survival fiction. That includes..
Tell the story from the protagonist point of view.
Give plenty (read pages and pages) of technical details on preparedness preparation including retreat construction, name brands of products used, occasional references to websites (which is funny in a SHTF, non-internet world), lots of firearms descriptions/capabilities and sprinkle in a cast of bad guys with names like Scrag, Killer, Lefty and so on.
Continually preach the mantra of preparedness, financial frugality, the problems of the federal government, unwavering support for the constitution and the inherent danger of fiat currency.
Also frequently point out to readers "Don't Get Its" - those people who failed to prepare for emergencies and also who lived beyond their means. Those poor souls are treated savagely at each turn.
All conversations between characters are lectures on the above topics with little discourse between the characters present except for "straight lines" to keep the speaker going, such as "Gee, Bob, I thought our currency was backed by the government" or "Isn't the government here to help us and not hurt us?".
The end result is as the author likes to state, "Patriots - survival fiction neatly dressed as fiction".
Neatly, as in the eye of the beholder.
I have read Patriots on more than one occasion. I have visited the author's website and read his non-fiction comments and writings. I have tried really hard to like this book. But Patriots just doesn't do it for me.
First, Patriots has a two dimensional story line.
For instance, who really thinks 12 friends, not matter how long they have known each other, would really still be speaking after two years locked up in a cabin in the middle of nowhere?
In the first week or so of the Crunch, why wasn't at least one member of the Group curious enough to drive over to Bovill or Moscow or any other nearby town to see if the troubles had reached them yet? From what we learned later in the book, most of the problems never made it to central Idaho.
Who really thinks a bunch of city dwelling drug addicts and convicts are going to wander five hours from a major city, miles from any major highway while searching for a farm or ranch with enough food and gasoline to make it worth their while?
And who really thinks that the UN, with European soldiers, are going to invade and conquer the United States including huge underpopulated sections which primarily consist of rugged mountains and forests? European countries are more interested in invading a disco or something similar.
When I reread Patriots, I searched high and low for some sort of conflict between the characters such as whether or not to help others, or friction between friends or famiy. It never happened.
Further, most of the characters had a family members elsewhere yet no one had any interest in looking for them or trying to make contact. However, when two friends were trapped a few hundred miles away, the Group wasted no time driving through hostile territory to save them.
It got old having to wade through pages of how a character hooked up a Acme Super Solar Charger to a post next to his barn. And the constant product plugs were tedious as well.
And my biggest gripe: Every person in the book was identified by the type of firearm they carried.
I get tired of the survival manual mindset. I want to read a story first and a "how to book" third or fourth. Patriots is quite simply, not a very good story.
Patriots would be a lot better if there were more of a story line. It starts out well, has great potential, then gets real boring real fast.
Hey, if you enjoy Patriots and don't mind some of the points made above, no problem. But if you are looking for a good story "FOC", check out Lights Out, Deep Winter or Shattered - all of which are available online.
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