# Consequences of Unpreparedness



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Here we go again, I will post new chapters as they come available.


Consequences of Unpreparedness - Chapter 1

It was a hot night, so, before finally resigning herself to bed, Amanda Hunter opened her bedroom window as wide as she could to let in a gentle breeze which accompanied the faint scent of rain and murmur of thunder in the distance. A short time later, she awakened with a start then lay quietly while she tried to calm her racing heart and desperately wondered, What spooked me? 

After a few minutes of intense listening, Amanda realized it was quiet outside and she thought, Daisy and Peaches would be barking if someone was out there. Amanda’s heartbeat began to slow and she let her mind shift to her absent husband, It’s too bad Nick’s gone on that two-day trip, four hundred miles south to Phoenix, but we need that used gearbox for our antique tractor and about a ton of supplies to help us start our farm including a shitload of groceries. It’s dangerous enough with an overloaded truck, but crossing all those washes during monsoon season is tricky and treacherous, so I’m glad that our nearest neighbor, Charlie Baxter, went along with Nick to help out.

A sudden knock on the back door shattered Amanda’s thoughts and she instinctively reached for the magnum on the nightstand, sprung from the bed dressed in only an oversized tank top and a pair of what Nick called her “Granny Panties” and wondered, Where the hell are my dogs?

She made her way down the dark hallway holding the large, stainless steel revolver in front of her with her finger alongside the trigger-well, alert with every nerve on edge, I’m scared shitless, but I don’t want to accidentally shoot a wayward neighbor! At least, I hope it’s a wayward neighbor out there ’cause the only explanation I can think of as to why if Daisy and Peaches aren’t barking their asses off is ’cause they know and like whoever’s out there!

The insistent knocking echoed down the hall and Amanda lowered the magnum and sighed with relief when she heard Charlie’s wife, Nora, desperately beg, “Amanda! Hurry up and open the door! It’s happened!”

Amanda got her robe and, five minutes later, the two thirty-something women sat at the kitchen table while they waited for the tea kettle to come to a boil and Nora tried to explain the situation to an attentive Amanda, “They’ve gone and done it just like Charlie always warned everybody they would! One minute everything is going just great and the next thing you know, bang! It’s the end of the world as we know it!”

Amanda set two mugs on the table, filled the tea strainers with Chamomile tea in the hopes of calming her rambling friend down and, as she grabbed the whistling kettle from the stove, she asked, “Settle down, Nora! Explain to me who they are and what have they done?”

Nora was far from relaxing and she spat in disgust, “Those warmongering, government neo-cons, that’s who they are! And what have they done? I’ll tell you exactly what they’ve done! They went and started world war three! But that’s not all! No, not all indeed! Those bumbling, power-hungry idiots already lost the war!”



Amanda poured the hot water into the mugs and chided, “What are you talking about? I just can’t believe that, while I was asleep, we had a world war and we lost! You must be mistaken…” 

Nora waved her hand to interrupt and explained, “I couldn’t sleep with my Charlie gone, so I tuned on the shortwave to pass the night and that’s when I heard the whole thing unfold over the radio. It all happened when our out-of-control president and his warmongering cronies nuked North Korea, but one of the ICBMs went astray, missed the target and took out a major Chinese city. So the Chinese retaliated with a counterstrike against us. I saw the blinding flashes of light on the horizon, so I know for sure we were hit bad. From start to finish it took ten hours to lose the war.”

Amanda clutched the hot mug of tea and suggested hopefully, “Maybe we nuked China back.”

Nora clinked her tea strainer rhythmically in her cup as she clarified the situation, “We probably did, ten times as bad as they hit us, but, make no mistake, Amanda, we lost the war.”

Amanda tried to keep from weeping, “God! I hope Nick and Charlie get back soon!” 

Nora reached across the table and took Amanda’s hands in hers as she tried to comfort her neighbor in an act of solidarity for their losses, “I doubt they’ll ever come back. In fact, the flash I saw to our south was likely Phoenix being wiped out and we both know they were gonna spend the night in the heart of the city before they started back tomorrow.” 

A half an hour later, the sun came up and the two woman were still sitting at the kitchen table, occasionally sobbing into their cold mugs of tea.

***

Charlie Baxter was boiling coffee in a portable pot on a rock next to a small fire when he heard Nick Hunter yawn and ask, “How long have you been awake?

“I wake with the sun every morning, it’s nature’s alarm clock. Now get up and have some coffee, we have a long walk home,” Charlie prodded.

“Don’t remind me. I knew I should have found a better place to cross that wash instead of listening to you,” Nick remarked sarcastically.

“Now don’t start that again! Only after you asked, all I said was, ‘It don’t look that deep to me.’ But, before I got a chance to explain to your ignorant ass that, ‘Depth is nowhere near as dangerous as the speed of the water…’ you stabbed the accelerator and drove the truck into the wash! We’re in this mess ’cause you’re in such an all fire hurry to get to Phoenix and back, not me! And another thing, it was your truck and you were driving, so I refuse to take responsibility for your mistakes!” Charlie spat back as he refilled his cup and poured the rest of the coffee on the fire to put it out.

While Nick gathered the things he’d laid out from his wallet to dry, Charlie finished his coffee, repacked his Bug-Out-Bag, checked his Colt-45, Combat Commander, semi-automatic pistol that he never went anywhere without and, when he was satisfied, he headed home on foot. 

Nick ran to catch up to his departing neighbor and offered an apology, “Look, I’m upset, I just lost my truck and, when I get home without the gearbox, groceries and farm supplies, Amanda’s gonna have a cow, so let’s just forget the whole thing and be friends again.”

“I don’t need friends like you, Nick, you damn near killed us both! That reminds me, I pulled your sorry ass out of that wash and how do you show your gratitude? You blame me for your ******* mistakes! So, as far as I’m concerned, we’re through! I know we’re both headed in the same direction, but that’s it! Stay clear of me and I’ll do the same for you!” Charlie warned.

“But it’s, like, thirty miles of rocky desert and I don’t have any water!” Nick begged.

“It’s monsoon season, dipshit! There’s plenty of water and, if you weren’t wearing those stupid cowboy boots, the going would be easy,” Charlie explained as he continued home.

“Hey! Wait a minute! You said you liked my boots! They’re real, alligator skin, you know!” Nick reminded.

“I lied. Your sissy boots make you look like the greenhorn you really are. For the record, just because you bought a homestead, next to mine, way out in the boonies, doesn’t make you an outdoorsman. I heard you were some kind of a salesman before you got a settlement to buy your place…” Charlie pushed.

“I’m a homesteader, soon to be a farmer, as soon as I get my equipment up and running!” Nick defended.

“Well, the way you’re going, I suspect I’ll have a new neighbor soon, just not soon enough to suit me! Now fall back and leave me alone!” Charlie warned as he picked up his pace. When he put some distance between himself and Nick, he thought, I don’t get why that idiot’s trying so hard to get himself beat up!

After about a mile or so, Charlie calmed down and left the road to refill his canteen in a pool of standing water, It’s safe enough to drink ’cause it’s fresh rainwater, but I’m ganna get the water purifier outta my BOB just to try it out. He mentally reread the Prepper website endorsement, AquaClean 5000 is the newest, portable model, with patented microbiology technology and is guaranteed to provide hundreds of gallons of the purest water possible!

Once he drank his fill, Charlie topped-off his canteen again, soaked his small towel in the pool, wrapped it around his neck and dunked his hat in the pool to get it wet. By the time he was ready to head off again, Nick caught up, headed for the large puddle and dunked his face into the coolness.

Nick may not make it home alive by himself, Charlie considered as he watched the spectacle. Against his better judgment, he held out his canteen to Nick and offered grudgingly, “Here have a drink. I purified it. We don’t need you getting sick.”

After Nick gulped down half of the water in the canteen, he looked up at Charlie and asked hopefully, “You said we, so does that mean we’re friends again?”

“No, it just means that I’m not an *******. If I leave you by yourself, one might consider me culpable if you died out here and, because we’re the only people who live in this area and use this road: the chance of somebody coming by to save you is slim to none - and slim is out of town. I could always go on ahead and call the Sherriff on my shortwave to pick you up, but you’d probably be eaten by coyotes before he got to you,” Charlie warned.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Consequences of Unpreparedness - Chapter 2

When Nick was finished drinking all he could hold, Charlie broke out his water filter, refilled the canteen and filled a collapsible, one-gallon jug he had in his BOB. I didn’t plan on using the jug ’cause I didn’t wanna carry the extra weight and ’cause I’m pretty sure I’d find plenty of water on the way, but now I have to share my canteen with this ******* of the desert! As soon as Charlie capped off the jug, he handed it to Nick and said, “This is YOUR water, so you carry it and drink all you want, but don’t you dare ask me for mine! Got it?”

Nick took the jug and gratefully said, “I got it Charlie and thanks…”

Charlie, interrupted him, “Save your strength. I’m just doing this to save my own reputation.”

The two returned to the old dirt road and continued on quietly for a while, but Nick was bored and wanted to make up with Charlie so badly that he pressed the issue again, “I’m sorry I blamed you for my mistake and thank you for saving my life, but, it’s just, well, you said it yourself, that I don’t know much about the desert, so you have to admit that I had to count on your sage advice when I…”
Charlie cut him off in midsentence, “I don’t have to admit anything to you, *******! Get this through your thick skull: it was ALL YOUR FAULT and, if you keep pissing me off, I won’t care what other people think about me leaving your sorry ass out here on your own! Now, if you know what’s good for you - and I suspect you don’t - I’ll give you one last chance, so I won’t have to listen to my wife nag me about it later: keep your ****ing mouth shut, try to keep up and you should get home in one piece!” 

When the two came alongside an outcropping of rock which cast a fairly large shadow, Charlie left the road, hunkered down to cool down and have a meal. Once the two were settled in the shade, Charlie took out a MRE from his BOB, opened it, removed the entrée, tossed Nick the pouch and the two ate in silence while they finished off their MREs. Charlie pulled out a chocolate bar, but before he ate it all, he snipped off a small piece and tossed it to Nick.

When he received the gift, Nick offered cheerfully, “Thank you.” He was repaid with a glare of pure distain from his host and held his tongue when he realized, Oh, yeah, my bad. I broke his one and only ****ing rule to keep my ****ing mouth shut.

Charlie was ignoring Nick because he had worries of his own at the moment, Just when I thought the situation couldn’t get any worse, that large thunderhead started to close in on us. Now I’m gonna have to explain to the ******* the reason why it’s obvious that we’re gonna have to postpone our plans to keep moving.

Charlie pointed toward the massive cloud and grudgingly stated, “Looks like we’re gonna have to wait that storm out right here.” Then he got up and did a quick scout around the rock structure to make sure it would be safe to hunker down under it during the incoming torrent.

When he made it to the far side, he stopped dead in his tracks, pulled his gun free from its holster and clicked the safety off it in less than the blink of an eye. Charlie’s instincts were on edge as he kept his head level to the terrain, constantly scanning for a threat while he slowly and causally knelt down. The skilled hunter peeked at the scat briefly before he picked it up, squished it between his fingers and concluded, It’s fresh and definitely coyote.

He continued to investigate the area and found that the ground was littered with the tracks of at least a dozen predators he sensed were near, but it was the faint yelps which drew his attention to a den, so Charlie slowly backed out and returned to his hapless neighbor.

Once back at the makeshift camp, he saw Nick had removed his boots and was rubbing his sore feet. Frustrated, Charlie barked, “There’s no time for that! Get your boots back on, we’re bugging out!”

Nick was about to complain until he saw the gun in his neighbor’s hand and the look of sheer anger on Charlie’s face when he snatched up his BOB. He quickly complied, managed to shove his swollen feet into his boots and caught up to Charlie who had his gun at the ready and constantly checked behind them as they continued on.

The storm moved in, so Charlie pulled the poncho from his BOB and pulled it on as he walked.

Nick watched his neighbor and thought, I’m drenched, but I don’t care. This deluge is a welcome relief from the heat…

They were able to put several miles behind them before Nick fell behind for the fourth time, so Charlie looked around and selected a place in a small stand of trees for them to camp.

Nick sat in the mud in the open and rubbed his blistered feet, while Charlie built a makeshift shelter next to a mesquite tree with his poncho and some para-cord, unfolded a small tarp and spread it over the wet ground under his shelter.

Satisfied with his work, he broke out his alcohol stove and filled his small pot with water to make himself some coffee. While he waited for the water to heat and the coffee to steep, Charlie pulled out his small emergency radio, inserted the batteries, plugged in the ear-bud, put it in his right ear and scanned the bands for some music to lift his spirits.

With no luck after several minutes, he thought, The way my luck’s been running lately, the damn thing’s probably busted! Charlie was about to give up and yank the earbud out, but a faint signal came through and, as he listened to the broadcast his pulse quickened and his heart sank into a deep despair.

Charlie turned the radio off and pocketed it before he explained what was going on in the outside world to Nick, “…now that you can understand, I have to go now.”

“But, Charlie, you can’t leave me! I mean, look at my feet! I’ll never make it home alone!” Nick begged.

“Like I really give a shit about you anymore! Everything’s changed and, right now, the only thing I have to do is get back home and protect my wife! NOT YOUR SORRY ASS!” Charlie screamed while he pulled a couple of energy bars and two spare magazines for his pistol from his BOB and, stuffed it all in his pockets.

He handed the BOB to Nick and, as calmly as he could, explained, “You have a shelter and there’s enough supplies in my pack to last you a week, if your careful. My water filter can supply a month’s worth of clean water. In the first aid kit there’s some moleskin and lotion for your feet and I just made you some coffee. Now man up and take responsibility for yourself!”

Charlie turned and sprinted off toward home and his real obligation which, not so long ago, he swore before God, “…until death do us part…”

***

Long after Charlie left, Nick lounged under the shelter while he drank coffee and aired out his feet as he ate one of the two remaining MREs from the BOB.

***

The two woman grieved their losses together and, between bouts of depression, Nora shared her deepest held secret, “Charlie and I are Preppers and have prepared our homestead for sustainability and stockpiled plenty of supplies. The only true threat that we’ll have to face will be desperate people, but Charlie told me that our remote location will minimize the chances of that happening. However, we do have neighbors, distant as they are, Charlie warned me that they will eventually become a threat.”

Amanda listened carefully and suggested, “Then we need to work out a plan for our mutual survival…”
Nora chimed in, “Yeah, a pact of mutual aid.”

Amanda tried to lighten the mood, “Wow! This is more serious than any ‘Pinkie Swear’ I ever heard of.”

At Nora’s insistence, Amanda moved into the Baxter’s house.

***

Charlie jogged for two miles then slowed to a walk for a mile before he picked up the pace again, “I’ve got to make it home by sunrise tomorrow morning.”

It was four o’clock in the morning and Charlie was bone weary and dog tired by the time he approached his property line, but was suddenly rejuvenated when he saw the porch light on at the house. He high whistled for his pit bull, Buckles, who immediately rushed to greet him and his loyal companion trotted beside him all the way up to the house.

When Charlie opened the front door he was surprised to see Nora and Amanda curled up, side-by-side, fast asleep and faintly snoring on the couch. He chuckled softly at the sight of an empty bottle of rum which lay on its side on the coffee table between their propped up feet and went to the kitchen to grab a fresh bottle out of the pantry, along with a glass for himself.

He returned to the living room, plopped down in his old rocker by the fireplace and watched the two women sleep while he sipped his drink. Charlie decided to wait until he finished his drink before he woke them up with a taunt, “You two are a couple of lightweights!”

Nora woke up first and screamed with excitement when she saw her husband alive and well and tried to jump up, but stumbled in her inebriated state. Charlie leapt up in time to catch her, scooped her up in his arms and Nora planted a sloppy, drunken kiss that mostly landed in Charlie’s ear.

Amanda watched the couple reunite and saw that Charlie was about to carry Nora off to bed, but she asked cautiously, “Uh, excuse me, but where’s Nick?”

“Nick? Oh, he’s still on his way back and will probably be here in a couple of more days,” Charlie answered awkwardly.

“What? You left him?” Nora demanded angrily at the revelation.

“Well, yeah… I mean I had to get home… To take care of you, honey,” Charlie defended.

“All right I can understand that, but it’s still no excuse for leaving him behind,” Nora chastised.
“You don’t understand, sweetheart! The guy is a real *******!” Charlie explained.

“Like him or not, it’s still no excuse! Nick’s our neighbor and the husband of my friend. Now you go back and get him!” Nora insisted as she wiggled from his arms and, as soon as her feet hit the floor, she pushed him toward the door.

As he passed the side table, Charlie snatched up his bottle of rum, grabbed his truck keys off the hook by the door and slammed it shut behind him while he thought, That’s to let you know I’m going, but I don’t like it, not even one bit.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

If you have read any of my books on Kindle and have not left a review yet, now would be a good time to do that while you wait for the next couple of chapters to be finished.

As always thanks for your support,
CT.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Consequences of Unpreparedness - Chapter 3

Charlie reached the spot where he left Nick just as the sun was coming up and, when he saw him asleep in the shelter, he laid on the horn to wake him up. He sat in the truck and sipped from the bottle of rum after he sent Nick back to break down the shelter and repack his BOB.

On the drive back, Nick attempted to break the silence, “Thanks’ for coming…”

Charlie slammed on the brakes which almost send Nick through the windshield. As soon as the truck came to a complete stop, Charlie reached over, flung open the passenger door and hollered, “Get the hell out!”

“What? You’re making me walk just for thanking you?” Nick demanded.

“No, Nora will never let me hear the end of it if I did that! Just get out of the cab and get your sorry ass in the back, so I don’t have to haul you out, kick your ass and dump your unconscious body in the bed of the truck! The only reason that I’m bringing you home is so I can sleep in my own bed and not on the couch!” Charlie warned.

***

By the time the two men got back, their wives were standing in the road in front of the Hunter homestead, so Nick got out and was warmly greeted by his distraught and overjoyed wife.

Nora climbed into the cab and nestled in next to her man and, before Charlie turned into his own driveway, she had him near orgasm with her head in his lap and took him in her mouth with the thought, I pushed him into doing something he didn’t want to do, so to show him that I appreciate him, I’ll give him what he deserves in a way that he always likes.

***

The next day, Nick and Amanda inventoried the few supplies they had and divided them into small portions so they would last as long as possible, but when they finished, it was painfully obvious to them both that they were in big trouble.

They ate a small lunch and Amanda put on a brave face while Nick reinforced his determination, “As long as we stick together, we’ll get through this.”

***

During that same time, Charlie and Nora pulled out their bug-in plan book, went through it carefully and checked-off each step as they completed it. When they were finished they sat down to a large meal before the couple geared-up to go out and patrol their property’s perimeter.

Besides both of them being armed with ArmaLite rifles and side arms, Charlie also ran a garden rake over the sand along the fence line so that, if someone breached the perimeter, he would see their footprints.

Their dog followed the pair and Charlie made sure that the K-9 understood what they were doing, by encouraging him from time to time with an enthusiastic, “Patrol, Buckles! Patrol! Good boy, patrol!” He rewarded the correct behavior with a small treat.

***

The days passed quickly and news of the outside world was bleak. Even though the situation in both the United States and China was catastrophic, the United Nations condemned the first strike made by the United States as a “war crime” and only sent aid to China.

One morning, at the start of the second week, Amanda dipped a cup into the container of dog food and sighed in despair when it only came out half full, “I love Daisy and Peaches and it makes me sick to have to put them down, but I can’t watch my baby dogs starve to death, Nick!”

He shook his head in despair, “They’re your dogs and, besides, I can’t put them down! I can’t kill anything!”

So, she mustered all her courage to do the deed herself and, when Amanda got back to the house, she leaned the shovel against the kitchen wall by the back door before going straight to their bedroom to cry alone.

Another week passed and, one afternoon, Nick and Amanda took the last can of Macaroni-Os off the shelf in the pantry. As she hesitantly dished out the pasta into two bowls, Amanda muttered, “We’re gonna have to eat this crap cold because we’re out of propane for the stove, but we have to eat this ’cause we’ve both lost a lot of weight and are probably well on our way to being malnourished.” After she licked her bowl clean, Amanda demanded, “Why did you have to be such a jerk to Charlie?”

Nick barely had the strength to explain, “I tried to apologize, honestly I did, but he’s just too damn stubborn!”

“Well you need to go over there and apologize again and keep apologizing until he forgives you, because without some help - and because you’re such a ****up - we’re gonna die of starvation!” Amanda insisted.

“Like I keep telling you, he won’t listen to me,” Nick moaned.

Amanda got up, left the kitchen, shut the bedroom door behind her and muttered under her breath, “I wish I knew before I came out here with him that Nick was such a wuss! Since I’ve been sleeping in here by myself, I realized that I’m disgusted by his weakness and can’t stand the thought of being touched let alone be intimate with such a freaking coward!” She opened her jewelry box and withdrew her most precious keepsake before she left the house to head straight for the Baxter homestead.

***

Buckles met her at the front gate and challenged her with vicious barks and low growls. Surprised, Amanda tried to sooth him while she waited outside the gate, “What’s the matter boy? Don’t you remember me?”

Before long, Charlie showed up carrying a rifle and asked in a stern tone, “What do you want?”

“I was hoping to speak to Nora,” Amanda replied with a friendly smile.

Charlie keyed the mike of his walkie-talkie and said, “You have a visitor.” Then, before he headed back to the house, he told Amanda, “Wait right there.”

Nora came out to the front gate and the two shared warm greetings and a hug across the top of the gate while Nora asked, “What can I do for you?”

Amanda removed her mother’s gold and diamond earrings from her pocket and offered them to Nora, “You really seemed to admire them and I was wondering if you would trade them for some food?”

Nora explained sadly, “I can’t take you mother’s earrings and, besides, Charlie won’t let me trade food for anything we don’t really need. Sorry, sweetie.”


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Consequences of Unpreparedness - Chapter 4

When Nora saw the look of disappointment in her friend's malnourished face, she told her, "Wait right here."

***

Charlie watched Nora put a bundle of food together and barely contained his temper, "No way! Op-Sec won't allow it! You know that sweetheart!"

"She already knows about our stash. I showed her when I thought you and Nick were dead and she agreed to join me for our mutual survival." Nora explained as she continued to stuff cans in a burlap sack.

"What are you saying? You and her made a mutual aid pact?" Charlie demanded.

"Yes, but that was when I thought you were dead, so, you see, I have to keep my word," Nora qualified.

"I understand sweetheart, really I do, but mutual aid is just what it sounds like. We can't give them food without getting something we need in return," Charlie tried to rationalize.

Nora stood her ground, "Okay, then. What we need is another watch stander and patrol person and someone to do all the damn raking you insist we do because, frankly, I'm exhausted!"

Charlie and Nora returned to the gate together and Charlie stated sternly, "I'm telling you, right up front, these are my ground rules: you can have this bag of food, but that's it, we won't give you anymore; or you and your husband can join us here and move into the guest bedroom, but you better make damn sure that Nick understands that, if he gives me so much as one ounce of grief, I will throw you both out!"

Nora beamed with excitement when Amanda, answered, "I accept your offer to move in and will make sure that Nick fully understands the consequences of his actions."

When she and Charlie got back in the house, Nora dropped the burlap bag on the couch, led her husband into the bedroom and showed him her appreciation - twice.

***

While she and Nick packed their things, Amanda reminded her husband, for the sixth time, with an ominous admonition added to make her point as clear as possible, "You will do whatever Charlie wants you to do without complaint! I don't care if he wants you to give him head! You will drop to your knees and do your best to please him! Or if he wants to take me from behind while you hold his drink, you will do it with a smile! Do I make myself clear!"

All the starved and defeated Nick could muster was a meek, "Yes, dear."

***

When the destitute couple arrived, Charlie met them at the gate and assured Buckles, "It's okay, boy. They're part of our pack now. Good boy, Buckles. Let them in."

***

Amanda unpacked their bags in the small guest room and chatted with the still excited Nora,

As quiet as a mouse, Nick sat on the couch in the living room while Charlie paced in front of him and laid down the law, "The command structure of this little MAG is simple: I am in charge and I have absolute, unquestionable power; Nora is second in command and her word is my word; you will do as you're told without any argument; if I catch you slacking off, I will toss your sorry ass out; and if I catch you being disrespectful to my wife, like you were to me, I will kick your ass before I throw you out! Do you understand?" 

Fearing that he might say something wrong, Nick decided to respond as simply as possible, "Yes, sir."

"Good! Now get in the kitchen and eat the lunch that Nora fixed for you and wash the dish when you're finished! Then go outside and clean out the pig pen and change their water!" Charlie ordered and sat in his rocker to take a much needed nap.

After midnight, Charlie knocked on the guestroom door and said, "Time to get up, Nick. Remember? You're on watch with me."

***

While the two patrolled the perimeter, Charlie instructed the greenhorn, "Stagger the times and routes of your rounds and change them often. Be unpredictable, stealthy and alert at all times. If you encounter a threat, radio it in and take cover until help arrives."

"Do you really think someone will try and attack us?" Nick asked.

Charlie sighed, "It's inevitable, since we're a target of opportunity for people who are desperate."

After an hour, Charlie left Nick to continue standing watch on his own and said, "Nora and Amanda will relieve you at four o'clock."

He went back to the house and crawled into bed to snuggle against a softly snoring Nora.

In the morning, Charlie woke Nick at nine o'clock and told him, "Go get your breakfast and, when you're done, go rake the road that runs alongside the property line for at least two hundred yards out in both directions before you come in for lunch."

Nick was confused and thought, Why do I need to rake a dirt road? It doesn't make any sense… When he opened his mouth to ask, he saw the daring glare in Charlie's eyes, remembered Amanda's admonitions and responded with a smile, "Glad to do it."

As soon as he was satisfied with his work, Nick went to the house and sat at the kitchen table to eat his lunch while his new boss explained the necessity of raking the road and property line, "When someone crosses the raked sand they'll leave footprints, or tire tracks. They can use a branch or a cloth to wipe them out, but that will also leave sign. It is unlikely as hell that someone will be carrying a rake."

"I understand raking the property line, but I don't get why I have to rake the road. I'll do it because you want me to, but I just don't understand how it helps," Nick replied awkwardly.

Charlie explained, as calmly as he could, "You will rake the road and keep it raked, so that we can tell if someone uses it and, more importantly, how they used it. If a vehicle just drives by, it's not a problem, but if it stops or, worse, someone gets out, then we have a problem because that means we've been reconnoitered. Since we have a perimeter and we patrol it, they'll undoubtedly see us which leaves them two choices: either move on to an easier target or engage us. Those who choose to attack are either superior in numbers and skill or are crazy and desperate, but, believe me, both are serious threats." He pushed his plate forward, got up and left Nick to wash the dishes.

***

Charlie stepped out onto the back porch and watched the two women as they worked in the garden under a blistering, summer sun, I get that they both have their shirts unbuttoned to keep cool, but, man-oh-man, neither of them is wearing a bra and when they bend over just right, I can see those rosy, little nipples.

The more he watched, the more excited he became, so he stepped off the porch, crossed the yard, strolled through the garden gate, stopped between the two, crouching women and towered over them.

Nora immediately noticed the obvious bulge in her husband's pants and teased, "See something you like, cowboy?"

Charlie blushed and replied, "Could I speak to you in private sweetheart?"

Nora knew what her husband had in mind, so instead of getting up, she removed her garden gloves, reached up to cup his manhood, winked at Amanda and offered, "Wanna help me satisfy his itch?"

"I don't know, Nora he's your husband and I wouldn't want to intrude," Amanda replied honestly.

Nora unzipped her husband's fly to set his erection free and said, "He's also a man, a real man who deserves to be treated like a king. I like to see my horn-dog happy and this wouldn't be the first time I've shared him with another woman."

Amanda reflected on their debt and her forewarnings to Nick while she patiently waited for her turn, so when Nora offered Charlie's glistening manhood to her, she did her absolute best to satisfy him.

***

Nick looked out the kitchen window while he did the lunch dishes and was stunned to see his wife on her knees in the garden pleasuring another man, "What the ****? I outta get my gun and blow the son of a bitch away! No, I can't do that! I couldn't even shoot Amanda's damn dogs! Not to mention, that she made it perfectly clear that she'd prostitute both of us rather than starve to death!" He closed the curtain and thought, I should just be grateful that it's not me in the garden on my knees.

When Amanda came into the house, she found Nick in the living room cleaning his pistol and started to tell him what she did in the garden, but the words wouldn't come out and all she could manage was, "Do you think we made a mistake moving in here?"

"I think you already know the answer to that dear. So, tell me, how did our master taste?" Nick spat in contempt.

"Don't give me that crap! If you weren't such a worthless excuse for a man, I would never have had to find out the answer to that question!" Amanda defended and fled to the guest room.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Consequences of Unpreparedness - Chapter 5

Nora kept her husband in the garden after Amanda went inside and, when they were alone, she cooed in his ear, “Don’t you think you’ve been too soft on Nick? Don’t you think he has way too much free time on his hands? It only makes sense if you have him take my turn raking the property line today too sweetheart.”

They went inside and, while Charlie headed to the living room to talk to Nick, Nora went to look for Amanda. When she found her in the guestroom, staring at her wedding photo in a silver frame on the nightstand, she said, “Charlie really liked what you did for him in the garden and I think he would like to have a private romp with you.”

Amanda kept her eyes on the photo and answered hesitantly, “I’ll do it, but to be honest, I don’t feel comfortable about it. I mean, what you asked me to do in the garden was one thing, but now you want me to sleep with him alone.”

“Well, you told me that you’ve stopped sleeping with Nick, so why not give Charlie a go, at least he’s a real man,” Nora pushed.

***

Nick reloaded his revolver, closed the cylinder, pointed the gun at the mantle and sighted the weapon on a photograph of Charlie holding the horns of a trophy elk. Nick held the weapon steady and imagined himself pulling the trigger.

A stern challenge abruptly interrupted his daydream, “Go ahead! Take your best shot!” Charlie stepped in front of the loaded gun and spat, “You don’t have the guts!”

“I should kill you!” Nick sputtered in hatred, but his hand started to shake as soon as he leveled the gun on his master.

Charlie sneered, “Listen-up, dipshit! Without me you wouldn’t last a month because it takes a lot more than just supplies to survive out here alone.”

“We can manage!” Nick insisted while his hand trembled uncontrollably.

“You really think so? Without water, there’s no garden, no animals and no us, the bearings on the water pump are squealing and I was gonna change them this afternoon, but why don’t you do it instead, since you can manage,” Charlie challenged smugly.

Nick lowered the gun in defeat and sighed, “You’re right, I don’t know anything about running a farm. The only reason that I bought the homestead was because Amanda wanted to get out of the city and I was going to hire a hand so I could learn how to run the place as I went along.”

Once Nick surrendered as predicted, Charlie smiled and warned, “I’m gonna let your little tantrum slide this time, but to remind you of who provides around here you can take Nora’s turn and rake the property line today.”

***

While he raked the sand clean, Nick considered his situation and thought, I wish there was something I could do to make things different… His mental pity-party was disturbed when he saw two men on horseback approach from the west. Nick radioed the sighting in to the house and retreated into the compound where he met Charlie on his way to the front gate with his rifle.

Charlie headed toward the gate alone and ordered, “Stand by behind the woodpile and give supporting fire if you can muster the nerve, but only if I open up on them.” 

As soon as the riders were in sight, Charlie saw that one of the men held a rifle with a white cloth tied to the barrel and instantly recognized him as his neighbor, Matthew Chattum, a fourth generation Chattum and the newest head of the C-Bar-C ranch. He also recognized the other rider as the youngest of Matthew’s five boys, who he’d met at the Chattum’s annual Fourth of July family reunion the previous year

For the last ten years, Charlie had gone in on a steer with his other neighbor, Cal Flanders and, because of that association, was invited to the annual event. As an outsider, Charlie knew the value of his being invited to share in their celebration which brought all of the Chattum families from all over the country. Charlie chuckled as he remembered, Get all them Chattums in one place and they can field six softball teams! The games start a week before the big picnic! It suddenly dawned on Charlie, That’s only a couple of days away…

When the riders reached the gate and didn’t dismount, Charlie realized they weren’t intent on coming in, so he stood his ground just inside his compound.

Matthew pulled the handkerchief from his rifle barrel, wiped the sweat off his brow and put it in his pocket before he slid the rifle into its scabbard, attached to the saddle.

Charlie leaned his rifle against the front gate to wait patiently for his guest to explain his presence and smiled, Matthew is a man of few words and it took me years to understand that the man meters out what he says as if every word’s precious and the thought of wasting one syllable is an abomination to the English language.

“I expect you heard about the war?” Matthew began when he was ready.

“Yeah, I heard. Crying shame too,” Charlie replied.

Matthew nodded slightly in agreement and continued, “Your calf died. Drowned in a wash. Can’t pay you off in cash. No going to town now.” Then he looked at his son and nodded slightly.

Young Jedidiah swung from his saddle, pulled one of two burlap sacks hooked around his saddle horn and carried the heavy bag to the gate while Matthew offered, “Forty pounds of prime. I expect that makes us square.”

Because he lacked height, when he tried to swing the heavy sack over, Jedidiah came up short, so Charlie reached over to take the sack, hauled it over himself, hefted the heavy bag to assess its weight and replied with a smile, “Yes, I expect it does, you’re too kind.”

Matthew nodded slightly in agreement and gathered his words again, “Have to take back the barbeque invite. By the grace of God, the whole family is home. Leaves little room for outsiders.”

“I understand. You’ve always been a good, honest neighbor that I could always count on,” Charlie acknowledged. He thought sadly, Nora had her heart set on going to that picnic.

Matthew adjusted his seat in the saddle while he considered the reply and said, “I hope that I made myself clear, Charlie. After today and from now on, Chattum land is for kin only.” When he saw the look of disappointment in his neighbor’s face, Matthew knew that his ultimatum had hit home, so he pulled back on the reins and led his son toward the Flanders’ homestead to settle-up with him as well.

Nora reached the front gate just as their guests were leaving and, following his father’s lead, Jedidiah tipped his hat to the lady before they rode off.

“What did they want?” Nora asked.

Charlie replied sternly, “To settle his debt and let us know it’s every man for themselves from now on.” He turned to the woodpile and hollered, “Nick get out here! Take this sack of meat into the house, so we can process it before it spoils”

“You mean he won’t help us even if we get into trouble?” Nora pressed.

“No. He’s a good, honest, God-fearing man, so if something happens to me he’ll undoubtedly look after you,” Charlie promised.

***

Nora went back into the house and told Amanda, “Go into the master bedroom and freshen up for Charlie.” Then, she went into the kitchen and made Nick do most of the work processing the meat.

It only took thirty minutes for Charlie to break down the squeaky water pump and change the bearings - a job he could do blindfolded - so when he was finished, he went to the house to wash up.

As soon as he was in the back door, Nora took him aside to tell him, “Amanda’s waiting in our bedroom for you, so you just get on in there and have some fun! You deserve it!”

Nick heard the headboard slamming against the wall in a steady rhythm, so he turned to Nora and asked, “Don’t you have a problem with your husband cheating on you?”

“It’s not cheating if he knows it’s fine with me. Lighten up Nick. It’s just sex and my Charlie always liked to get all he could. Besides nobody’s forcing her. I asked her myself if she wanted to help satisfy his needs,” Nora explained as she prepared the seasoning mix for the summer sausage that Nick was grinding.

“Well I don’t like it one bit! And she really doesn’t have a choice, now does she?” Nick accused.

“She has a choice and so do you! Don’t sound so high and mighty because without my Charlie you two would already be dead! So quit your whining and get back to work this meat won’t grind itself!” Nora insisted and took another break.

When Nick realized he wasn’t going to get any sympathy from Nora, he gave up and gave in.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Consequences of Unpreparedness - Chapter 6

As the days passed, Nora pressed Charlie to shift more of her workload onto Nick and, when he complied with her wishes, she’d arrange a “date” with Amanda for him. By the end of the first week, Nora was spending most of her time reading or laying around in the sun working on her tan. 

Amanda felt more like a piece of meat than a woman and fussed to herself, Charlie just climbs on top of me and does his business. I feel used, dirty and cheap and my self-esteem has vanished only to be replaced by self-loathing.

After he did his and Nora’s chores, Nick walked along the perimeter and stood two watches in a row with Buckles. He fell into a deep depression and anxiously tried to work up the courage to confront Charlie, once and for all, and get his wife back.

On one of his patrols, Nick spotted a set of footprints, in the raked sand, which led into the compound. He followed them and, when they ended at the back door of the barn, he radioed the house for backup.

Before he went in the barn, Charlie instructed Nick, “Watch the back while I go in the front.”

Once inside, he swept the ground floor in a tactical manner and, when he had it cleared he backed-off and called up to the loft, “Come on down! If I have to come up there, I’ll shoot first!”

Cindy Marston crouched behind the bales of hay, trapped, terrified and, panicked by the second warning, called out in desperation, “Please! Don’t shoot!”

Charlie ordered, “Get your ass down here, with your hands in the air!” As soon as the young woman hit the floor, Charlie grabbed her arm, forced her face down and patted her down for a weapon. Then, he rolled her onto her back and reached into her clothes to do a more thorough search of the frightened trespasser. Once he was satisfied the intruder was unarmed, he demanded, “What are you doing here?”

“We left town because gangs of killers are running wild and we were looking for a place to hole-up until things get back to normal. Our truck got stuck in a deep rut and my brother, Johnny, hurt his leg trying to get it free. I’m just looking for water,” Cindy explained.

As soon as Charlie found Nick hiding in the bushes behind the barn he ordered, “I took the girl up to the house, so Nora can keep an eye on her while I go out and look for her supposedly, injured brother, so get your ass back out there on patrol!”

***

When he spotted the truck, Charlie approached with caution, but when he reached the scene, he found an injured, young man sprawled in the sliver of shade the vehicle provided. After he searched the man for weapons and found him clean, Charlie helped him into the bed of the truck for the short ride back to the compound.

***

Once back inside the house, he helped the injured man into the guest bedroom where Amanda, helped Nora tend to the man’s leg injury with splints and bandages.

When they were finished, Amanda went out onto the back porch while Charlie sat Cindy down on the couch and Nora explained, “You can’t stay here. My Charlie will pull your truck free so the two of you can leave.”

“Please! We have no place else to go and Johnny is hurt bad! Can’t we stay here until he gets better?” Cindy begged.

Nora considered what the pretty young woman was asking, so she reached over to unzip Charlie’s fly and smiled at her, “You say that you wanna stay, so prove it.”

Cindy was repulsed by the idea, stood up, and ran into the guest bedroom as she started to cry hysterically.

Charlie followed the distraught woman and, when he reached the room, Cindy pointed at him and screamed, “His bitch wants me to have sex with him or she’ll kick us out! It was bad enough when he felt me up in the barn, but now they think I’m gonna be his whore!”

Johnny had been defending his baby sister’s honor his entire life, so he sat up and sized-up his opponent. He winced when his feet hit the floor, but he was no stranger to pain because Johnny “The Bone Breaker” Marston had suffered his share of injuries as a highly-ranked, mixed martial arts, national champion.

Charlie held up his hand in a warning while the young man struggled to stand and said, “Now calm down buddy. Don’t do anything rash. My wife didn’t mean anything by it and I was just searching her for a weapon in the barn.”

The explanation went unheeded and, before Charlie realized what was happening and could draw his gun, Johnny sprang like a coiled snake and the two men clutched each other.

Charlie was no slouch when it came to fighting and considered himself dangerous in his own right, I’m a skilled boxer and even had a couple of wins under my belt when I boxed in the Navy, but I’m no match for this guy who I know is gonna take this fight to the ground because of his leg injury.

It was only a few seconds before he had Charlie struggling to breathe as Johnny tightened his choke hold and thought, He doesn’t know that my biggest advantage is that he has no idea that he’s fighting for his life against one of the most dangerous and skilled Brazilian Jujitsu Masters on the planet!

When Nora and Amanda tried to intervene, Cindy - a titled MMA fighter, trained by her brother - held them both back until Charlie stopped twitching and was out cold.

Johnny pulled the .45 from his victim’s holster and ordered, “You two, up against the wall!” He handed the pistol to his sister and said, “Cover them until I get back on the bed. My leg’s killing me.”

Cindy stood guard over their three prisoners tied up on the living room floor and checked on her brother often. Because Nick had been hiding in the bushes behind the barn, Cindy wasn’t aware that there was a fourth member of the group at large. The women never let-on and hoped that Nick would come to their rescue.

Charlie woke-up and heard Buckles frantically barking just outside the front door, My head hurts, but not as bad as the ropes cutting into my wrists and ankles. When Cindy came into the room, he demanded, “What hell’s going on?”

She shrugged and said, “We haven’t quite decided what to do about you three, yet, but that damn dog has got to go!”

While Buckles stood on the porch and barked at the front door, Nick stood on the side of the house and peeked in through the break in the living room curtains. He saw Charlie, Nora and Amanda tied up on the floor and watched the stranger pace back and forth in front of them. Nick considered, I could rush in with my gun, but she’s armed too…

Suddenly, the woman cracked open the front door and opened fire on the pit bull, so Nick retreated to the safety of the pump house and thought, I have to come up with a plan that doesn’t involve me getting shot too!

When the sun came up the following morning, Nick crawled out from behind the water pressure tank and snuck a quick look at the house out the tiny window. He watched the woman make trip-after-trip, to and from the house to Charlie’s truck while she loaded it to the hilt with food and supplies. Again, he considered, I could rush her with my gun while her arms are full… Then, he saw a guy sitting in a chair on the front porch holding one of Charlie’s rifles in his hands, reconsidered his plan and sighed, If they had no qualms about killing Buckles, they’d shoot me too!

When the armed couple left in the truck, Nick ventured out of the pump house and, when he reached the main house, he skirted the dead K-9 and peeked inside the open front door.

As soon as she spotted him, Amanda called out, “You ****ing, chicken shit coward! Now you show up after they leave! Untie me!”

Nick rushed to his bound wife to set her free and when he went to untie Nora, Amanda spat at him, “Don’t you dare untie that bitch!” She towered over the bound couple on the floor, kicked Charlie in the balls with all her might and when, he let out a cry of agonizing pain, she kicked him again to hear an encore.

Amanda left Nick to stand over their masters while she went into the kitchen to see what was left of the food stash and muttered, “Luckily, they didn’t find the hidden cupboard.” She grabbed a couple of MREs, snagged a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge, went back to the living room and shared one of the packages with Nick while she contemplated, Now what am I gonna do about the Baxters…? 

Nora interrupted her thoughts and begged, “Come on, Amanda, honey, give me something to drink.”

Amanda spat on her, pulled the magnum from her husband’s waistband, pointed the barrel squarely at his chest and gave him an ultimatum, “You will kill them both with your bare hands or I swear to God I’ll shoot you!”

Charlie kicked at Nick with his bound legs as he approached, so he grabbed at the flailing feet and, when he managed to get a firm hold, Nick dropped to the ground and sat on Charlie’s legs. He worked his way to Charlie’s chest and sat squarely on it before he started to strangle his helpless victim.

“You’re a ****ing coward!” Charlie spat in defiance when Nick grabbed his throat with both hands.

The more Nick squeezed the more Charlie resisted and, the more Charlie resisted the harder it was for Nick to continue. Defeated yet again, he gave up, rolled off of Charlie onto his back and, while Charlie gasped for air, Nick wept and whined, “I just can’t do it!”

Nora watched in horror when Amanda turned the gun on Charlie and cocked the hammer, “Please don’t kill us! It wasn’t our fault you didn’t prepare! Just remember, nobody forced you to do anything that you didn’t agree to.”

Amanda held the gun steady, but her rage faded when she came to the realization, My weakling husband and I put ourselves in the position to be exploited and Nora - as sick as she is - was just taking advantage. She lowered the gun, un-cocked it and returned to the kitchen to pack some food.

Nick watched his wife pack Charlie’s BOB and asked, “Where will we go?”

“WE? There is no more WE!” Amanda snorted.

When she gathered everything she thought she could carry, Amanda stuffed the magnum into the BOB, swung it over her shoulders and left the house without a single “goodbye” before she ventured out into the desert.

Charlie ordered, “Untie us!”

But Nick’s thoughts refused to come together, so he just sat on the couch confused and scared and tried to drown out his master’s voice.

***

Amanda followed a faint trail as she walked all day in the hot sun and, when she came to a fence post with a “NO TRESSPASSING” sign, she stopped and looked around. She was exhausted and nearly out of water, I know I made a big mistake by leaving, but I’d rather die than submit to that bastard again.

Ezekiel Chattum watched the wayward figure approach from the east. He sat in the saddle, drew his rifle from its scabbard and waited to see if the figure would trespass. His father’s orders were clear and, as the eldest son, Ezekiel never considered disobeying him.

Amanda leaned her heavy pack against the post, poured some of the water she had left in her water jug onto a cloth, unbuttoned her shirt and wiped her bare breasts to cool down.

Ezekiel blushed furiously at the sight in his rifle scope, sheathed the rifle and gave his horse a slight nudge in the direction of the woman in distress. As he got closer to her, his mother’s teachings echoed in his head, Women are to be respected, cherished and loved. It is every man’s responsibility to protect them at all costs…

He was conflicted, “Dad said to kill any trespassers, but he’s a man of few words, who almost never repeats himself, however, he often reminded all of us boys, ‘As a Chattum, you have a duty to be chivalrous toward all women’, so I can’t just kill her.”

As soon as he reached the stranded woman, he removed his hat, dismounted and offered his saddle to her. Once she was comfortably seated sidesaddle on the roan, Ezekiel led his horse home on foot.

The Chattum family welcomed Amanda into their fold and treated her the only way they knew how, with respect, dignity, and love. 

***

Cindy and Johnny Marston managed to make it fifty miles into the high desert before they ran out of gas. They lived in Charlie’s truck for two weeks and Cindy buried her brother under a pile of stones after he succumbed to gangrene poisoning, but she was killed the very next day by a pack of coyotes who were drawn in by the smell of decaying flesh.

***

It wasn’t long before Nick found himself on his knees in the garden while Nora took the day off.

THE END

Epilogue

The last sentence in this story is intentional and is meant to engage the reader, but NOT the author. You are free to speculate as to the details of Nick’s fate any way you like, however, as the author, I have no further comment. Don’t ask because I won’t tell.


----------



## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

For me, the story would have been much better without the graphic sex because I prefer gentle innuendoes instead of "in your face" descriptors. I quit reading and started fast skimming and then just cut to the end.

As an observation and not criticism, I prefer your other style of writing. IMHO.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Thank you for your honest feedback, however the graphic nature of life is real, and unlike a story you can’t skip over the bits you don’t like. My writing style has not changed, I have only gotten into deeper subjects. 

With that said I wanted to make a point in this story and in order to do that I had to get dirty. The reader needed to feel her pain, and understand how bad it was for her. In essence they had to be on their knees next to her.

Face it life is unfair and there are predators, and prey. Sure we can put our head in the sand and pretend all is well, and no harm will come to us if we just keep our eyes tightly shut. But you know as well as I do that will only make things worse.

I write prepper stories to help spread a message, coincidently it is the same message this site was designed to spread.

Just out of curiosity did you also skip over the graphic violence, or just the sex? Because in this story I killed 3 dogs, let a man die of Gangrene, and had a woman eaten alive by coyotes. As well as had a man choked out and for good measure I added attempted murder. Did those events offend you as much as a hummer in the garden by three consenting adults?

You also say you like my other stories, were you as offended when I had several men beheaded for no real reason? Or what about the massacre in the clearing, or the rampant cannibalism? Mowing down the enemy like a meat grinder?

My stories are ramp with violence, and forced, or coerced sex is violence. Nothing has changed in my writing, other than I am now expanding into topics that have been mostly uncharted but still exist.
So like my stories or hate them, they are how I see the world around us. If I have learned anything it is that if I try to please everybody I will end up pleasing nobody.

CT.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

What I hope the reader will take away from this story is that if Amanda and Nick would have taken the time to know all their neighbors this would have never happened.

CT.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

CTHorner said:


> What I hope the reader will take away from this story is that if Amanda and Nick would have taken the time to know all their neighbors this would have never happened.
> 
> CT.


This can be true but very few neighbors will be open about being "swingers" unless they are sure it will be well received. They should have been a bit more friendly with the neighbors but would you tell your neighbors that you and your wife share sexually when they come over to introduce themselves and bring a pound cake?!

I personally think that if this type of behavior happens post SHTF you'll see a lot more eunuchs because the wives or GFs will have cut their balls off!

I think the message I got was make sure that what ever wagon you hitch your horse to is not a pussy and has your back regardless.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

The Chattums are not swingers, they are a large family of god fearing honest loving human beings, who are self sustaining and charitable when they see a real need.


“Ezekiel blushed furiously at the sight in his rifle scope, sheathed the rifle and gave his horse a slight nudge in the direction of the woman in distress. As he got closer to her, his mother’s teachings echoed in his head, Women are to be respected, cherished and loved. It is every man’s responsibility to protect them at all costs…

He was conflicted, “Dad said to kill any trespassers, but he’s a man of few words, who almost never repeats himself, however, he often reminded all of us boys, ‘As a Chattum, you have a duty to be chivalrous toward all women’, so I can’t just kill her.”

As soon as he reached the stranded woman, he removed his hat, dismounted and offered his saddle to her. Once she was comfortably seated sidesaddle on the roan, Ezekiel led his horse home on foot.

The Chattum family welcomed Amanda into their fold and treated her the only way they knew how, with respect, dignity, and love. “


Sorry if you missed that part.

CT.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

CTHorner said:


> The Chattums are not swingers, they are a large family of god fearing honest loving human beings, who are self sustaining and charitable when they see a real need.
> 
> "Ezekiel blushed furiously at the sight in his rifle scope, sheathed the rifle and gave his horse a slight nudge in the direction of the woman in distress. As he got closer to her, his mother's teachings echoed in his head, Women are to be respected, cherished and loved. It is every man's responsibility to protect them at all costs&#8230;
> 
> ...


I read that part. I was referring to Nora and her husband as the swinger types. Sorry you didn't understand.


----------



## dademoss (Aug 6, 2011)

CTHorner said:


> The Chattum family welcomed Amanda into their fold and treated her the only way they knew how, with respect, dignity, and love. "
> 
> CT.


This part seems odd to me, are the Chattums going to welcome every female into their fold?


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Grimm said:


> I read that part. I was referring to Nora and her husband as the swinger types. Sorry you didn't understand.


Again my point is that if Amanda had got to know the Chattums she would have learned what Charlie already knew and told Nora. So when she was asked to submit the first time she could have just headed to the Chattums ranch instead. It was only a days walk.

Thanks for the support, and feedback,

CT.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

dademoss said:


> This part seems odd to me, are the Chattums going to welcome every female into their fold?


Thanks for the comment, and your support.

It is my belief that there men in the world who would come to the rescue of a woman they don't know simply because they are female, some are so chivalrous as to do it at their own peril. So you as the reader will have to decide where the Chattums draw the line.

CT.


----------



## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

You can also name this story Austin Powers...... the prepper who shagged me!


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Ok I get it chopping of heads is good, but getting head is bad.

I have sent a pm to a mod to pull the post, but if there is another mod reading this please pull it now!

CT.


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I liked your story. Thank you very much for sharing. I make a habit of not reading post that I dislike. Over the years I have been offended by only two members, you are not one of those. I have always enjoyed your posts, keep them coming.

I am reminded of people coming over for dinner that went on and on about how something else was their favorite food.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I think you set your self up as the author for people to be "offended" as you did not preface this story like you did the last with a warning of the content. I like your stories and have read everything you post here. I just think you need to be aware that the readers here on the forum may not have wanted to read the graphic sexual nature of this story and felt suckered in since there was no warning.

Just my opinion.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Ok I understand. The readers are ok with disemboweling, decapitation, and cold blooded carnage, but sexual content is taboo. Fine with me, I have asked for this story to be pulled, and even begged what more can I do?

CT.


----------



## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

CTHorner said:


> Ok I understand. The readers are ok with disemboweling, decapitation, and cold blooded carnage, but sexual content is taboo. Fine with me, I have asked for this story to be pulled, and even begged what more can I do?
> 
> CT.


Don't do it C.T. your story was good, it described the depths to which Humans can go when the thin Veneer of Civilization is stripped away. We all like to think that we are Moral and righteous People who would never do the things that you describe in your stories...I'll bet the Donner Party felt the same way...but we never know how we will react to a situation, even if we are prepared for it, how much more so if we are not. In the event of a Crisis People are going to react in many different ways: some will fight, some will run, some will freeze, and some will revert to the Animal the way Charlie and Nora did. On the other hand we were briefly introduced to the Chattams, who, in spite of the circumstances were able to maintain their Humanity. While the Sexual content of the story was descriptive (not graphic), it was insignificant when compared to the overall message of the story, which was to be prepared, fight and Kill if you must, but don't forget your Humanity.


----------



## dademoss (Aug 6, 2011)

CT,

Writing is an art, and "art evokes a response"  Not everybody will agree, approve, or want to see it, but you should not stop writing or posting because some don't agree/approve/or would have done it differently.

I'm a reader, not a writer, and I don't think any author I have followed for many books/stories hasn't left me puzzled or in disagreement for one othe choices they made in a story, but that is to be expected 

Keep up the good work.


----------



## lrlouie (Feb 15, 2015)

I agree with dademoss ct,the story describes the evil in men's hearts when things go horribly wrong and society breaks down. All the ugly things people can be need to be described so everyone can understand what they will be up against if the shtf. Keep up the imagination and put it in print.


----------



## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Keep the story here CT, some people are too easily offended, 
To the offended if the story line bothers your sensibilities stop reading, everybody likes to support freedom, until that freedom isn't what they support


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” – Thomas Paine


----------



## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Toughen up! I write for a living. Everyone has their own opinion just as you did as an author. I've had back to back reviews where each one took the opposite view of the book. I've been told I should be ashamed to call myself a writer. I've been told that I write like a five year old. I just keep cashing the checks. Leave the story in and don't change anything. And keep writing! You have talent.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback, and support.

For the record I have no intention to stop writing, it's what I do for a living. I also know that if you try to please everybody you will end up pleasing nobody.

With that said with the amount of pushback this story has had on _this_ site I would rather pull it than offend _the_ sites members that's all.

CT.

PS. Vagina! OOOOOOHHHHHHH NO HE DIDN"T!


----------



## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

CT, normally I don't read these amateurish internet stories, but your story caught my attention and after the first chapter; I read it all the way through. Most story posterers are a torture to read. Yours was actually an easy read and not pablum, nor predictable. 

Good story.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

VoorTrekker said:


> CT, normally I don't read these amateurish internet stories, but your story caught my attention and after the first chapter; I read it all the way through. Most story posterers are a torture to read. Yours was actually an easy read and not pablum, nor predictable.
> 
> Good story.


Thanks for your post, that's why I put my short stories on sites like this one.

I am looking to draw in new readers, and hopefully entertain them.

I am also looking for honest feedback, because face it nothing is free. If this story won't play in Peoria I won't publish it as a titled work.

Thanks for your support,
CT.


----------



## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

I am also a writer, so on this forum one can keep the stories short and not too detailed as we would in English Lit. and English 202. I notice that you do not assume the reader will "just get it" or "catch on" to your concepts or the idea behind it. Readers need to be told so they (we) can follow the story line.


----------



## myrtle55 (Apr 1, 2014)

CT..I am 60 and female and former Army. I read the entire thing and was involved, which is what I enjoy in a read. Was the sexual content disconcerting? You bet it was!!! But as I experienced in the military, there are times that bring people to the lowest of humanity. It is also the reason I prep. Never will I or mine be subjected to the things I have seen or experienced. ..so..yes, this Crap happens..all I might add is perhaps a heads up or use the rating system.

V/S/L sort of thing..


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

C.T. were you really upset by a couple of minor complaints or are you just trying to stir up some conversation?


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Caribou said:


> C.T. were you really upset by a couple of minor complaints or are you just trying to stir up some conversation?


I am not upset at all, all I want is to preserve the integrity of this site, that hosted it for free and shared it with it's members.

As for stirring up conversation, that's up to the readers, but I have to admit it's all good to me. I actually like honest negative reviews, because they sell just as many books as good honest reviews.

CT.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

myrtle55 said:


> all I might add is perhaps a heads up or use the rating system.
> 
> V/S/L sort of thing..


This was my point as well and I got slapped with a response that said he never read what I wrote. His standard "beheading is okay but not the sexual crap- I get it now". Whatever. If he really cared what any of us had to say then he'd have slapped a warning or preface on the story like he did the one about the escaped convict.


----------



## CTHorner (Oct 16, 2013)

Grimm said:


> This was my point as well and I got slapped with a response that said he never read what I wrote. His standard "beheading is okay but not the sexual crap- I get it now". Whatever. If he really cared what any of us had to say then he'd have slapped a warning or preface on the story like he did the one about the escaped convict.


I do care about offending my readers on this site, not because it hurts my feelings, but because this is not my site.

I dropped the ball as to a warning but it was too late to go back and change it by the time I caught it. That's the whole reason I asked for the thread to be pulled as not to offend.

Still want the story pulled, but again not for me, but for you, and others that feel the same, because this is your site not mine.

CT.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

CTHorner said:


> I do care about offending my readers on this site, not because it hurts my feelings, but because this is not my site.
> 
> I dropped the ball as to a warning but it was too late to go back and change it by the time I caught it. That's the whole reason I asked for the thread to be pulled as not to offend.
> 
> ...


I never stated I was offended in any way with this story. I even mentioned before I did enjoy the story and have read most of your work (even bought a few off Amazon). I only said that prefacing the story (in the future) with a warning or rating so those that were offended are aware of the content is a smart move.

Maybe instead of having the story pulled have a mod edit the first post with a rating/warning. I think Austin (admin) is online right now.


----------

