Not Dead in the Heart of Dixie (84 page)

There were three l
arge trucks with guns mounted on the tops. Two of those guns were getting business. I saw the large, green, enclosed truck that had camped here when Mick and Dane were missing. I knew it was “that” truck because Michael had stuck a SpongeBob sticker on the passenger door and it was still there. I sent a thank you up to Jesus for whoever invented strong binoculars.

There was a second truck identical to the large enclosed truck
, but it was missing a SpongeBob sticker.

I saw the rear doors on those trucks fly open and lots o
f dark figures come pouring out.

Twenty seconds later
, I heard men screaming. I heard lots of men screaming

Josie used a second set of binoculars and watched the chaos with me. I had to threaten her
keep her from going to find Chris. I told her I'd accuse her of endangering a child if she walked one foot down that hill. She stopped and thought for a moment, then agreed with me.

She grabbed her weapons and used the porch railing to climb up on the porch roof and
then made her way to the roof of the house. I almost had a heart attack when I saw her foot slip a little. I guess you can't take the “soldier” out of Josie. Her baby may come out wearing camouflage.

Anyway, she was up there, loaded for bear with an infrared
rifle scope she found on one of the weapons Emma stole from the guys who killed Cleve. God help any member of the fake military that appeared within her sites. I'm sure he/she is no longer walking this earth.

The battle went on all night. Men screamed. Men died. Men tried to climb the fence and Dane shot their legs out from under them before he and Jason put
a bullet through their heads.

The bulk of the fake military was handled by the strike team and the cursing maniacs using the machine guns
.

We won, if you really wanna put it that way. We have
several dead and many injured.

Ian and Rick killed more men by breaking their necks than they did with bullets. Ian lost a pinky finger. It was shot off when one of the fake military guys was aiming at his head. He continued to break necks, slice throats, and shoot bad guys without that finger. He's not interested in going to look for it. Chris ordered him to see the strike t
eam doctor and he's there now.

We lost Hisa.

Soo found her body several yards from the house. Her neck was broken and we believe she was thrown against a tree when the house exploded. My heart is aching for Soo, Merry, and Valerie. Soo's only injury is on the inside. He hasn't cried or broken down, and is concentrating on handing out supplies to other members of the group.

The three of them are in Clinic Diane
, handing out basic bandages and medical supplies. I loved Hisa too. I still haven't come to terms with the fact that she's gone. I have no idea what we'll do for a medic.

We lost Nicholas. Mick found him
lying on top of the trailer fence with his throat slit. His rifle was still in his hands.

Sabrina’
s in shock. She won't get up and come out of Carisa's room, or eat, or speak a word. She is staring into space. She isn't crying. She's rolled up in a little ball, sleeping on a bean bag chair.

Anna is
there with her, sitting on the floor beside the bean bag chair and rubbing Sabrina's head as she gently talks to her about things other than Nicholas.

Isaac has no injuries but his mind has “stepped out for a minute.” Every move he makes, including feeding
himself, reminds me of a robot.

We lost Tessa and Bree. They were found with bullets through their heads and their throats sliced open on the porch of their little wooden house. Bree's pants were pulled down but the strike team
doctor says she wasn't raped.

Shawna and Lisa appeared on the back porch. Both girls were covered in mud, leaves, and debris. They have numerous
bruises and scratches. They are both wild-eyed and jump at every sound.

Pop is fine. His knees and back are sore
, and he's in the motorhome with Nana. They'll only allow me and Rona inside.

Kevin has a long knife wound on his back. Rona has him in her motorhome and she's trying to figure out how to clean the wound and
stitch him up.

Elaine is fine and she's caring for Dane who has a gash across his cheek, a busted knee, and a lot of busted knuckles. His right hand may be broken and he's in line
to see the strike team doctor.

No one
, other than the Sulligent’s and the kids, made it out of Soo and Hisa's house.

Brenda was the member from Wilky Place who was burned to death while she rescued Vicki, Dale, and Tricia. Melody was there as wel
l. Her body hasn't been found.

None of the remaining members from Wilky Place are hurt. I don't even
know if any of them were here.

Everyone else is fine including Emma and the teenagers
as well as Amber and Michael.

I'm fine. I have no physical injuries but my heart is broken in so many places that I'm afraid it'll never grow back to together. Most of my
pain is from the loss of Hisa.

Twenty-three members of the fence crew were ki
lled including Staff Sergeant Surn. Chris is devastated. He and Josie are in her motorhome and they won't allow anyone in.

The Strike team lost no one
, but they have four live, fake military men tied to the back of the truck. The men are naked except for their underwear.

There were actually five captured members, but an expert in the
art of torture from the Strike Team was able to confirm from the fifth man that the group was the ones who killed and burned Sniper and the two guards. They did it for fun.

When Chris heard that
, he ordered that the fifth man be tied from a utility pole beside the road and left there alive. His mouth was taped and his voice box was methodically destroyed beyond repair. He can't scream or utter a word. I don't intend to visit or allow the kids near the field. I don't know what Chris plans to do with him.

Clinic Diane has cosmetic blast damage
, but it still runs and I'm thankful for that.

Dane's
house is burned to the ground.

Soo's
house is burned to the ground.

The old Peterson
house is burned to the ground.

One of the fence trailers has a huge dent where a fake military vehicle was forced
off the road and hit the side.

There are large numbers of HDI's in the field and on the road. They were drawn here by the sounds of battle. The Strike Team along with the remaining member of the fence crew are putting them
out of their misery, and ours.

I'm headed out to help Nana and Emma prepare to feed a large number of people. The fence crew'
s mini-cafeteria was destroyed.

If the field is clear of HDI's be
fore supper, we'll bury Hisa, Nicholas, Tessa and Bree.

I don't kno
w whether I'm coming or going.

See ya later.

11:50 PM
...

We buried Hisa,
Nicholas, Tessa, and Bree before supper. One of the fence crew members is an ordained minister and Pop took him up on the offer to conduct the service. I think Pop is emotionally spent.

I'm feeling extreme depression. Please forgive me if this entry is short and straight to the point. I've taken two
Benadryl tablets for no reason other than the fact I want to fall asleep and not dream.

Chris has contacted home base. They're sending a large supply unit and several high ranking members to view th
e carnage and meet with Chris.

They
'll be here by tomorrow evening.

I can't think clearly. I'm in
emotional agony.

Bye for now.

Thursday, April 24

I woke up in bed alone this morning. I could hear the men talking in the kitchen and grabbed one of my white hotel robes to head out and see what they were doing.

We have a table that seats eight, and every chair was filled with male members from Kapper Hill. They were cleaning guns. Mick looked up at me and said they intend to clean every gun on the place today, including the ones Emma brought back. I thought that was a good idea.

Nana, Emma, and Marisa were in the kitchen
, making a gazillion biscuits and two huge pots of oatmeal. We have to feed our folks plus the fence crew and the Strike Team. We're not feeding the fake military prisoners a damn thing.

Chris gave orders to the fence crew to take care of all the bodies, both HDI and fake military, and burn them at the power lines. They'll start the job after breakfast.

The captured members from the fake military will be placed in a large truck when the unit arrives. They'll be taken back to home base and interrogated for information. I don't know what'll happen to them after that

The KIA members from the real military will be placed in a large freezer truck when the unit arrives and be taken back to home base
, and any family that's alive and known to the government will be notified

We've inherited three old Jeeps and a Humvee fr
om the fake military crew. The remaining vehicles are full of bullet holes and none of them will start. Chris says he'll have them hauled away. He expects at least 400 troops to be with the supply unit and another 50 to be with the high ranking officials who come to observe.

I don't think anyone plans to leave the compound today. We need to take care of our own business and clean up the burned buildings and debris. We also
need to supply two more meals to the large group of people here. Our flour supply dropped in volume greatly with all those biscuits. Lunch and supper will be beans and rice.

After breakfast
, Marisa will take the kids back to her house along with the TNMNS who'll have lessons from Shawna and Lisa all day. Shawna's eyes look haunted but her demeanor is the same as always. I wonder if we'll ever find out how many enemies she killed on her own. I may not want to know.

I'm not sure where I'll spend the day. I may go from project to project.

I plan to help Pop and Emma in the garden this morning. Then, I'll help prepare and serve lunch. We'll have to eat in shifts because we don't have enough cups and bowls for everyone to eat at the same time.

After lunch
, I may spend time with Amber and Michael, watching them while they play. I may go out to the meadow and watch Deuce ride Buttercup while the little filly tags along. I may bury myself in the laundry. I guess I'll play it by ear.

We can serve the biscuits and jam on napkins. The oatmeal will have to be served in shifts because of the lack of enough bowls. I want everyone here to eat before the troops come up so they can help serve.
See ya later.

2:30 PM...

Darlene Sulligent ate beans and rice for lunch. She went to the bedroom in one of the houses at Wilky Place to take a
nap and she didn't wake up. She is gone. We buried her in the little graveyard.

I have no more words.

11:00 PM...

The supply unit has arrived. They're busy setting up camp in the field and all over the hillside. Camp noise is back again. I'd forgotten how loud it was. Stern voices are shouting orders, vehicles are being moved around, and tents are being set up.

We had a wonderful surprise only minutes after they arrived.

I was on the front porch watching them set up camp when I saw a figure walking up the driveway. I knew it was female because of the way it was walking. I had no idea who it was, but there was suddenly a spark of hope in my mind. The spark was right.

Rebecca is home and she's doing well! Yay! She found out that she has Lupus and was also anemic when she arrived at home base. She's been treated well, taken care of, and has no complaints.

You should have seen Jeremy's face when she walked into the kitchen. He went down on his knees, wrapped his arms around her waist, and cried like a baby. He didn't give a hoot who was watching.

She pulled him to his feet and they headed out the back door and down the path to their little wooden house with their arms around each other.

The high ranking officials have arrived as well. They brought along motorhomes. There are three of them, and three motorhomes.

They're basically surrounded with a human fence made up of troops with red badges on their shoulders. Chris will be meeting with them in the morning inside the top official's motorhome. Breakfast will be served to them while they meet.

The mess tent will be up by morning. That means we may be able to get the kitchen back in order by lunch.

I spent two hours this afternoon
, watching Amber and Michael play Candy land and various other games. They made up their own rules and some of them were hilarious. They dressed me up in a crumpled Burger King crown and made me wear numerous strands of Mardi Gras beads. My scepter was a roll of Christmas wrapping paper. I gave them orders, knighted them, and made them do ridiculous things. They had a blast and I felt much better when I left Marisa's house.