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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Guest Post: Firestorm Chapter 14a, by Christopher Young

Dora The Explora 




Flexing first her fingers, then her toes Dora let out a
soft groan and wondered yet again, if she had the strength
to make it to the safe haven offered by Chris so many
months ago. Still drowsy, her mind replayed the horrors
of the last few days. Dark men with turbans had come to the
diner. They spoke broken English, and had bad attitudes.
Ate big stacks of pancakes, no sausage or bacon. And they
scared the life out of her. Nothing she could identify, but
they were terrifying.

Dora had left the diner at midnight, when the diner closed.
Found that her car had two flat tires. Waitress made so
little money, there was never enough money to buy tires,
or maintain the car. And there was no one available to
help her. The phones were dead, and the other servers
lived only a couple houses away. She chatted with the
girls, and they suggested it was only a mile or two,
how about walk. Dora said yeah, she could probably do
that. One of the girls said "it would be just like
bugging out!". That tripped a memory. Bugging out.
Bug out bag.

Dora went back to the diner, and unlocked the front door.
Went to the closet with the coats, and found the knapsack
of stuff, where she had carelessly cast it aside. Chris
had given it to her for Christmas. Dora sadly remembered
how she had thought it such a stupid idea. Most customers
gave the waitress money, chocolates, or a couple beers for
Christmas. She read the 8 pages of instructions back at
Christmas time. Found them so absurd, and so paranoid. She
read them aloud to the other servers, "Oh this is great"
Dora exclaimed choking with laughter " Move at night and
sleep during the day" and "This guy is a real Rambo"
Laughter echoed off the walls. But, Chris and Dora were
having the last laugh, tonight.


Dora unzipped the backpack, and pulled out the crank up flash
light. She cranked it for several seconds, and then tried the
on button. It threw out enough light to walk safely. The long
walk home from the Diner took about an hour. As she rounded the
last curve, only to find the small farmhouse in ashes and her
beloved animals gone. The absolute panic when it sank in
that life would never be the same. She should have taken
Chris and his quiet insistence on the principles of living
a prepared life seriously. Should have had off site backups,
and everything else Chris had said.

Dora wasn't the only person having a hard time adjusting.
Jade and Madison had been fighting nearly full time, since
their parents had been killed. Martha was wise enough to know
it was just account of the stress. She knew they would calm
down after a day or two.

Just the opposite, Heather's crew had been first rate. The
kids knew each other from way back, and had been the best of
friends. Heather was getting worried. She hadn't heard from
Chris and Gomer, in a while. The phones had been dead.

Adjusting. Well, that's what Dora would have to do. She
sat down under a tree, and started to read the eight sheets
of printed material. Page two mentioned something called a
"space blanket" in case she got cold. After dark, New York
sure did get plenty cold. She pointed the flash light into
the bag again, and there was the space blanket. Opening the
package, it crinkled and wrinkled. Felt flimsy and junky.
But everything else Chris had said, had been true. She
wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and instantly
felt the warmth. Dora found an outdoor chair, behind the
house, and sat down to consider things. Sleep gently over
took her, and she slept the night.

With an exasperated sigh Dora scrambled out of the mylar
foil blanket, and stretched in the afternoon breeze.
The smouldering embers reminded her of what used to be
her home. She shook her head ruefully at the memory of
her less than enthusiastic response when Chris had
presented her with "Just a basic BOB" last Christmas.
Most regular customers gave their favorite waitress a
hefty tip for the holidays....

The big problem would be the inverted sleep schedule.
Dora realized she had to travel at night. With the new
daylight, she poked at the ashes of her house.
She found several items that she'd bought because they
looked so rustic. Out in the back yard was an old axe,
that looked neat. And a wood saw. Well, they would be
useful again.

Primitve pretty well described Sam's new farm. About the
time Dora was waking up from her sleep (no alarm clock
to wake her before she good and wanted to wake up). And
at that time Brenda was driving her carful of people to
the farm gates. Chris was right behind, in the Blazer.
Gomer was zoned out, brain sucked into the video game.

Dora carefully opened a box of water and shook in the
flavor powder, shook it up and took a sip as she read with
interest the eight pages of detailed instructions. She and
the other girls at the diner laughed over nearly a year
ago, "Thank you Chris, Thank you" she whispered as she
began to gather her few things into the now beloved "Just
a basic BOB". Unwrapping a piece of ER BAR Dora moved
to the edge of the pile of smouldering ashes, and looked
to see what she might save. Not much. She decided to head
back to the diner. See if anyone could help her fix the
car tires, and use the last of the gasoline to get to Chris's
place.

But, that meant more walk. Dora walked about half an hour.
She went a couple feet into the woods and sat behind
a large tree muching as she carefully watched up and
down the asphalt two lane. Listening carefully as Chris
had written. Trying to be sure she was alone as she
rested, and prepared to continue her journey. Just a
bit farther, she thought to herself. Just got to make
it to Chris place, and I will be safe. Dora looked into
the BOB, and found a battery radio. Put the ear pieces
in, as she was out of sight.

What Dora had no way to know. Was that Chris was in Ohio at
this moment, listening to a truck radio. The radio announcer
out of Cleveland was more information this time. The Muslim
uprising is a coordinated global uprising after the fall of
Israel (during the multi-nation Arab terrorist and Iran
state attack) in a massive nuclear exchange-the Muslims
eventually declared victory. But Israel wipes out about
50-60 % percent of the Arab nations as well as
destroying Mecca and Medina; this final act ignites the
world Infatada. Indonesia is predominately Muslim and
other nations in North Africa and other African nations
are supplying Muslims. Dora was trying to get to an unoccupied
trailer.




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