After the End
by
Fastback65
Chapter 1
The thin red rubber pad slammed into Frank's shoulder as the 150 grain projectile spun its way out of the twenty six inch long barrel. Freeing its self from the restriction of the barrel, the lead rocket reached a velocity of over three thousand fee per second. After a flight that could be measured in milliseconds, it contacted the shoulder of the deer. Crushing bone and searing flesh as it spun its way through the animal. The heart exploded from the energy delivered by the copper coated lead slug. The animal had already started to crumple, when the projectile, still traveling at a supersonic speed, exited the other shoulder. The life force of the deer left with the bullet and the animal now lay fully on the ground. Only a quiver and a gasp of breath left before the eyes took on the vacant stare that all dead things share. Frank worked the bolt on the pre '64 Winchester model 70 and with another of the deadly thirty aught six cartridges loaded, he slowly approached the deer. A whistle let Frank's son know that he had been successful and to join him for the work of dressing the animal.
It had been almost eight years since the end of the world as Frank knew it had happened. His son was only four years old at the time. He and Janet were like most couples, they figured they had their whole lives ahead of them and with Tommy at four years old, and Sara on the way, they thought, like most did, that it was a wonderful time to be alive.
The day broke like most others in the South, the thickness of the air clinging like an unseen force as soon as you stepped out of the air conditioning. Sweat that refused to evaporate into the saturated air promised to make the day miserable. “Going to be a scorcher,” said Frank.
“Just like yesterday and tomorrow.” replied Janet, his wife of six years. “You complain about the heat everyday.”
“Maybe, just maybe, we will get a thunderstorm this afternoon. I just wish it would get cooler and stay that way,” Frank complained.
“Be careful what you wish for, Frank,” warned Janet, “Things could always be worse.”
Frank walked out to the barn and climbed on the Ford 600 tractor and after checking that the finish mower was securely attached, he cranked the ancient machine and after a short idle, he slowly drove out of the barn and into the pasture. It wasn't a true pasture, there were no animals, only a small pond, but he kept the grass in the five acre enclosure neatly cut and it gave the dogs a nice play yard. Frank was not a farmer, but he liked the idea of owning enough land, he could keep his neighbors at a reasonable distance. Setting the tractors engine speed to a comfortable level, he engaged the PTO lever and slowly released the clutch. The three bladed mower began to hum as the blades reached their operating speed and the tractor started forward at a brisk walking pace. Grass exited from the discharge chute in a steady stream as Frank eased himself into a comfortable position and enjoyed the ride.
Back in the house, Janet, got Tommy up and fixed him some breakfast. Janet was determined that Tommy would eat a good breakfast every morning. It was a struggle sometime keeping up with an active four year old, especially know that she was starting to show a little, but she had a strong will, and she had been told all her life, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
“Where's Dad,” asked Tommy?
“He is cutting the pasture, he wanted to do it early, before it got too hot,” Janet answered, knowing it was only the first of a stream of questions to follow.
“Why don't we get a cow to eat the grass, Grandpa has cow,” asked Tommy?
“Cows are something else we would have to take care of. What would a cow eat in the Winter, when the grass doesn't grow,” Janet asked, trying to get ahead of Tommy in the question game? “Finish your breakfast and I will help you get dressed, we are going to the grocery store, I am out of everything and we need to get our weekly groceries.”
“Grandma, just goes in the basement and get groceries. She has a whole room full of jars with food in them,” said Tommy.
“Well,” said Janet, “We buy real food from the grocery store, and it is better for you.”
“Grandma says store is bad for you,” Tommy said as he scooted form the table and went to his room to get dressed for the day.”
Janet laughed at the thought of Frank's Mom and Dad. They had a basement full of food, and a huge concrete cistern that caught rain water. They even had a separate room in the basement fixed up like a dormitory just in case there were storms. She thought to herself, that must have come about from growing up during the Cold War. Everyone thought there would be a nuclear war. How silly.
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