Divided we Fell

I feel like Lot fleeing the city of Sodom. The big difference is I didn’t turn into a pillar of salt when I turned back to view the city. The fires can be seen for miles and we are only about 50 miles away, but it seems more like a thousand.

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 Our state was fortunate, we had a 12 hour warning, but the states on the coasts didn’t.  Maine to Florida fell right away, they were the first targets. Within hours they hit the west coast. We’ve heard nothing from Hawaii and Alaska, so we don’t know how they’ve fared. Now they are moving inland, in a squeeze play moving simultaneously from the east and west. Our military didn’t have much of a chance in their weakened state and our police force was neutered years ago by the liberal activists and politicians. The massive push to take away peoples guns has left us all vulnerable, not only to these invaders, but also to the criminal element.

 People have changed the way they lived. Only the crazy ventured out after dusk, and people only ventured to buy supplies in groups. Being alone makes you a target. They tried to take all guns, but most people wouldn’t relinquish them, so without police they couldn’t do much. Instead they bought out all the ammunitions manufacturers. Those who wouldn’t sell mysteriously ended up dead. Without ammo we have little more than clubs to defend ourselves. 

There were two classes in the U.S; Liberals and Conservatives. Skin Color was no longer a factor. Either you stood behind our constitution and our laws or you stood for anarchy, domestic violence and hatred of everything this country once stood for. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, ‘United we stand, Divided we fall.’ Well we have never been so divided. Our politicians act like spiteful children, with no care for the people, only for lining their pockets and increasing power. Yes there are a few that try to bring this country together; they stand for our military, for our police, for the constitution. But they are too few, and our media strokes the flames of hatred against them.

Hatred is what has taken over this country in the last twelve yrs, hatred for authority, hatred for differences, hatred for our country and hatred of God. There is No Freedom of speech, if you say something someone else disagrees with, No rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Right has now become wrong and wrong has become right. All for one and one for all is a distant memory. Now society cries me, me ,me, my wants, my body, my life, with no care for anyone or anything else. I wonder how long God will allow this to go on, Satan has his claws deeply embedded into the world as we know it.

Now though we are all in this together, Russia and China took advantage of our inner turmoil. They don’t care if we’re liberals or conservatives, black or white, legal or illegal, now we are the enemy, all of us. And if caught then we are prisoners of war. 

My Brother knew this was coming and has prepared for it. We are now on our way to the compound, as he calls it. My whole family, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, mother’s and Fathers and grandparents. Forty-nine of us in all. We are all going to have to learn to farm the land, rear the livestock, preserve food. Basically we are going to learn to be self sufficient as they were in times long ago before the industrial age. 

The thought terrifies me, I’m a city girl, I know nothing of country living. I get hungry I go to Mc Donald’s, I tear my jeans, I run to Wal-mart. I don’t know something I grab my computer. So what will I do now?

The drive to the compound is very steep and treacherous.  Some parts we would drive up 6 feet only to slide back down 3, then try again. I sit in the back of the rover trembling in fear. After an hour we arrive at the compound, Ten yurts sit in a semicircle, all built around the massive mesquite trees, so we are hidden from the skies above. If you don’t know already a yurt is a portable circular tent like structure, lattice accordion walls are attached to rafters and the rafters attach to a circular ring at the top, giving it a domed roof. They are surprisingly spacious.

 The whole compound is camouflaged. A creek winds around the perimeter and flows into a large natural pool, then it meanders down the mountain. There is a garden and pens for animals. My brother has built a bath house with running water from the creek. One of the yurts has been set up as the community kitchen and dining room. Each yurt has four bedrooms that are set around a living room in the center of the structure. He has even set up a solar powered unit, for the community needs. Mostly though it’s for us to monitor what’s going on in the outside world via radio.      

I spent my first night tossing and turning, surprisingly not having the serenade of cars driving past my home kept me awake. The sounds that should be comforting; the stream, crickets, frogs were like nails on a chalk board for me and every time I heard a wolf howl, I’d jerk upright in fear. When morning came I groggily dress and head for the dining tent.

“You’re late? Breakfast is almost done.” My brother Josh informed me.

“Late? It’s 7 o’clock in the morning!” I whined.

“I know that is two hours after everyone else woke to start the day. It’s a different world now Stacy, everyone has to contribute to our everyday living here and the day ends as darkness falls. We can’t be using lights or we’ll be found and this will all be for nothing. Do you understand? Our day is from sun up till sun down!” He firmly said. 

After my brother's lecture I did miss breakfast and had to make myself some oatmeal. I’m not a cook either; water is about all I’m okay with. This however was a new experience trying to get the wood burning stove lit again. Man I miss my microwave. 

“Stacy, hurry and finish your breakfast, your chore today is feeding the animals and collecting the eggs, then you need to come back here to help with lunch preparations.” My aunt shouted as she hurried out of the yurt. 

I scarfed down my breakfast and headed out to the animal pens. I decided to feed the animals first. I fed the cows, goats and the hogs, and then I went to the chicken coops. I fed the chickens and walked into the hen house looking for eggs. All I saw were 6 hens sitting in their boxes. I didn’t see any eggs.

“Hey where are the eggs at?” I yelled at my brother who was milking the cow.

“In the roosting boxes, silly.”

“There are chickens in the boxes!”

“Ya, stick your hand under them and take out the eggs.”

“I have to touch them?” I eyed the chickens and they eyed me back.

“Just do it Stacy and quit whining. You’re adult start acting like it!”

Tentatively I approach the closest chicken; she clucks a couple times but otherwise just sits there. I reach under her gently, so far so good; I pull out a light tan egg and…

“AAAAH! HELP! JJJOSHH!” Feathers, straw and dust fly through the air, first just the one chicken was attacking, but soon all of them were pecking and scratching me. I ran out of the coop with six chickens chasing me. I didn’t stop running until I reached my yurt. I could hear the members of my family laughing as they gathered the hens, I felt humiliated. 

I stayed in my room the rest of the day, I didn’t want to face anyone. The next morning I woke at 5am and promptly went down for breakfast.

“CLUCK, cluck, cluck, cluck” My brother shouted at me when I walked through the door. Everyone started laughing.

“Stuff it Josh!” I grumbled. I ignored all the ribbing and went up to get my breakfast. Josh came over and sat with me.

“You know we are just giving you a hard time? We still love you.”

“Ya, I know, it’s just embarrassing to be bested by a chicken.”

He chuckled at the memory, “It was a nice tension breaker, with what’s going on we need to be able to laugh sometimes.”

“Ok, you got your laugh, but no more animal chores for me, okay.”

“Okay, until we need another laugh.” He jumped up quickly so I couldn’t smack him.

Smiling to myself I finished my food then walked to the chore board to see what I’d been assigned. Kitchen duty, well at least the potatoes won’t chase me. I went into the kitchen to see what needed to be done. I got stuck with the dishes, Ugh! Dishes from 49 people! Grumbling I went to the sinks, first I had to scrape all the crumbs and food bits into a barrel for composting, then I had to boil water to wash with, after the water boiled I poured it into the large tub that was our sink. I found some biodegradable soap and poured it in. Then I reached in to grab a plate.

 Shrieking I fell backwards clutching my severely burned hand. My aunt ran to me as a lay crying on the ground. She took me into a small room off the kitchen where all the medical supplies were kept. She poured cold water on my hand to cool it, then removed me rings and bracelet. She gently rubbed some ointment on it and bandaged my hand. The pain was intense and throbbing, so she gave me a couple of pain relievers from our supply. I hoped they were long lasting. I knew I wouldn’t be getting more since we had to ration everything. She helped to my room and left to inform my brother of the accident.

“Is this how you’re going to keep getting out of pulling your fair share?” My brother teased when he came to my room a couple hours later. Crying I rolled over turning my back on him. “Oh, come on, don’t pout.”

“I’m not pouting! I’m worthless, I can’t collect eggs, I can’t wash dishes, I can’t do anything. I’m going to be a drag on community.” Crying I turned to him. “I’m sorry.”

“Stacy you’re not a drag, well to the community anyways.” I reached out to slap him then screamed in pain from moving my hand. “Hey be careful, your injured remember.” I couldn’t help but laugh then.

“Seriously what am I going to do?”

“Nothing till your hand heals, we should have told you to cool the water before you started washing and to shoo the chickens off their nests before you collected the eggs. This is new for everyone, it’s just takes time. Soon you’ll be a pro,” He kissed my forehead and left. I stared at the stars that evening through my window,

“Dear Father, please be with me, help me to stop being such a klutz and keep us safe. And please be with those out in the cities and states Father, please help us all. I thank you in Jesus wonderful name, Amen. Soon the sounds of the creek and the crickets lulled her to sleep.

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We’ve now been up on this mountain for over 9 months. I’ve finally got the knack of being self sufficient. Everyday we rise at 5am and every evening we retire at dusk. Except on Sundays that is our day of rest, that is the day we praise God for his mercy and care. That is also the day we monitor the radio stations to find out what is happening to our country. Radio contact had been pretty constant that first couple of months, then all the American stations went silent. We keep monitoring but we had heard nothing till last night.

The United States is no more; Russia dropped nuclear bombs over D.C. and Texas. The East Coast is uninhabitable from the destruction and radiation. The Midwest isn’t much better. The Southwest wasn’t bombed, but troops still searched the area for insurgents. That’s what they call us.  Those fortunate enough fled into Canada and Mexico. Others became prisoners of war.  

“They’ve attacked Israel! It was a coalition of Russia, China, Iran, and other minor countries.” Josh ran to my yurt yelling.

“They actually attacked? What did they say happened?” 

“Israel is fine though right?”

Everyone who had run from there yurts were all screaming at once. 

“Quiet down and I’ll tell you what I heard.” Josh motioned everyone to calm down. “They said that Israel was attacked, but was miraculously unharmed. All the invaders were destroyed in the skies and the wreckage fell on unpopulated areas.” He finished grinning hugely.

“Just as the Bible foretold.” I cried out. “Praise the Lord, Now Jesus will come soon.”

We all bowed our heads and gave thanks to God.

“Your lucky Jesus will come soon.” My brother jokingly said to me when the others went back to bed..

“Why?”

“Because you will always be a city girl.” We laughed together overlooking the city we had come from so long ago.

“Josh looked!” I pointed down the mountain about 100 feet below.

“OH NO! They’ve found us!” Gather all the family; we are going to have to make a run for it.”

I turned to run to the yurts,

“Josh!” A bright light filled the entire sky as far as the eye could see and there was Jesus calling us up.

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The soldiers came into the compound; all was quiet except for the animals. 

“Poishchite gde-nibud zdes’ adres” The commander yelled.

The soldiers did as their commander ordered and searched the entire area. They even searched the animal pens, but found no one. The commander ordered them to leave no stone unturned. He kicked at the pile of clothes that was lying beneath his feet, almost 50 people just don't disappear. The soldiers returned to report they had found the vehicles, but no people and no tracks.

The commander stomped to the nearest yurt. Nothing was disturbed; it didn’t look like anything was missing. Frustrated he walked over to the bed, the sheets were warm, night clothes were lying beneath the covers and a bible was opened to Thessalonians, 

Chapter 4, and verses 16 and 17 were highlighted;

‘For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a mighty shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’