| General Fiction posted March 16, 2014 | Chapters: |
...19 20 -21- 22... 
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Ma talks about peace while cargo planes appear.
A chapter in the book Yosemite
Hostages and Cargo Drops
by michaelcahill
| Background Campires attempt survival of unknown origin at Yosemite. |
Previously, Johnny led the takeover of their camp with some help from Ma and the boys. The dreams of cargo planes delivering supplies was revealed. What to do with the newly acquirred hostages as well was another issue. We continue on no as Carlos responds to Johnny's comments.
Carlos thought for a minute. "Okay, but if what this jackass is saying is true, it isn't safe going out there. We need to be armed and dangerous and ready for anything. That brings me back to this idiot and these fools. What do we do with them? We can't just let them go."
"Why don't we all get to talkin' and come up with some kinda agreement. All of us killin' each other don't make a lick of sense ta me." Ma sounded sensible as could be amidst all the tense voices.
I didn't even know that Ma had come down with the boys. I made the introduction.
"Everyone, this is Dora Lee. Everyone calls her Ma. She's our friend. She's a smart lady and I think we should listen to what she has to say. After all, things may not have turned out like they did if she hadn't sent the boys her to our aid."
Ma wasn't the least bit shy about taking center stage.
"I sees it all. I sees Johnny and his lady and your group here with a little order gettin' on pretty well. But, y'all ain't a payin any 'tention to what's 'round ya. Y'all layin' here sleepin' whilst these yokels come up and take ya. They coulda kilt ya all had theyda mind to. Now this Turner feller here, he's a just tryin' to save his own cowardly skin. But, that don't mean that what he's a sayin' aint truth. Me an the boys here can go home and be as safe as a virgin at a chess tournament. That don't help nuthin'. We's tired of havin' to be on guard all day and night. Let's get together and bring some civilization back to this situation."
Carlos looked skeptical. "How are we supposed to trust these people?"
Ma had a ready answer. "Stop yer playin' then and kill them all right now. Do that or come to an understandin'. Can't ya see it son. Them's the choices. Kill em all or learn to live with em."
The sound of engines grew louder overhead. The sky filled with parachutes. Attached to each parachute was a large package. The packages varied in shape and size. They appeared to be of substantial size. There were dozens and dozens of them. They were being dropped everywhere, just like in our dreams. The time for decisions had arrived.
Everyone paused to consider the sight of parachutes dropping into Yosemite National Park. Getting to one or more of those packages had to be number one on our list of priorities.
Ma spoke again. "Johnny? What are you going to do? Folks is already a runnin' to gets themselves some of whatever's in them bundles there."
"I can't just release these people and let them mingle here with us. They're not my problem and they're not going to be my problem. Tie em up for now. Christine and I check out the bundles and the rest of you guard them. We'll come back and tell you what's up and then we'll make a plan. Any thoughts?"
Carlos spoke, "That's fine with me. I'm not ready to let these people roam around free, not after they just tried to kill us all. We can talk. We'll talk with them tied up where we can keep an eye on them. What about that, Ma?"
"That's all up to y'all. I've said my piece. We have our own business ta tend to. Y'all stay out of trouble now. I'm tellin' ya. Y'all's gonna have ta talk. Talk or kill each other. That's the choice. Let me speek at ya, Johnny."
I stepped over to Ma and we strolled off away from the group.
"What is it, Ma?"
"You gotta convince them to make peace with these folks, Johnny. Killin' em all ain't gonna do ya a licka good. Ya needs some numbers. They's numbers. They might be a heap better'n whatever else wanders in. Tie em up, lets em stew on it a spell. I see that. Make yer spyin run. When ya gets back ya needs ta make the peace. We's up there if'n ya needs us. We'll signal if'n we needs you. Can we count on ya?"
"Yes. What's the signal?"
"It'll be loud. Can't miss it. Just in case. We'll keep an eye on ya. Jest be smart."
With that, Ma signaled the boys. Lester and Jonesy took off in the direction of the packages and Ma and the rest of the boys headed towards home. Christine and I took off too. I looked back; Carlos and Jen were both watching the crowd of people that were captured in the battle. There didn't look like any fight was left in them.
Our attention quickly turned to the matter at hand. It felt like we were in the wilderness. We heard voices coming from everywhere. We started to see people as well. We took to cover. These people strolled along as though they were shopping in the mall.
"Johnny, have you seen anyone armed? So far, I haven't. These people are strolling along like a day in the park. I don't get it. They should be in dire straits."
I agreed. They weren't acting like anything I expected. "Christine, I'd swear these people were wasted. Look, I don't know what those planes dropped on us, but I say we be careful. These people are just wandering around. That guy curled up by the tree doesn't look like he's getting up. You watch me for any signs. I'll watch you. Could be in the air. I remember those people dropping like flies. Caution rules the day."
She just nodded. She smiled as always without fear. "Let's see where they came from. They're all coming from over that little ridge beyond that giant redwood. Let's check it out."
I nodded in the affirmative and we began to make our way there. Though I doubt anyone we saw on the way would have cared, we nonetheless kept off the path and out of view. At the top of the ridge, we looked out from behind an ancient redwood to a curious scene. There was a giant open container full of supplies with at least twenty people lying on the ground near it scattered about. They appeared uninjured. A couple were moving, writhing would be the word. The rest appeared dead. There were another seven or eight wandering around picking things up and walking in circles.
It was a dilemma. There were supplies down there. But, could we safely go down there and check them out. It sure didn't look like it. It looked like the drops were a lure to draw people in and poison them. But, what was in the boxes. That was the key to the risk. I guess we would have an answer soon enough. One of the semi-conscious people, an older gentleman was walking right towards us. Did he see us? I'm not sure he saw anything. He came to within five feet of us and stopped. He sat the package down and laid down beside it. He passed out within seconds.
I walked over and picked the package up. It read, "Kellogg's Cornflakes on the blue and white label that we noticed attached to the side. I could see that the box held nothing the second I picked it up. I opened it just to verify that. They had dropped off nothing. Who they were would be interesting to know.
Invaders that had over-run our country? Or, as I suspected, was it our own government stabbing us in the back? We had to get back and tell the others. I wish I knew where Lester and Jonesy were. Well, that would have to wait. Things were worse than we thought. This wasn't a rescue; this was an attack.
Carlos thought for a minute. "Okay, but if what this jackass is saying is true, it isn't safe going out there. We need to be armed and dangerous and ready for anything. That brings me back to this idiot and these fools. What do we do with them? We can't just let them go."
"Why don't we all get to talkin' and come up with some kinda agreement. All of us killin' each other don't make a lick of sense ta me." Ma sounded sensible as could be amidst all the tense voices.
I didn't even know that Ma had come down with the boys. I made the introduction.
"Everyone, this is Dora Lee. Everyone calls her Ma. She's our friend. She's a smart lady and I think we should listen to what she has to say. After all, things may not have turned out like they did if she hadn't sent the boys her to our aid."
Ma wasn't the least bit shy about taking center stage.
"I sees it all. I sees Johnny and his lady and your group here with a little order gettin' on pretty well. But, y'all ain't a payin any 'tention to what's 'round ya. Y'all layin' here sleepin' whilst these yokels come up and take ya. They coulda kilt ya all had theyda mind to. Now this Turner feller here, he's a just tryin' to save his own cowardly skin. But, that don't mean that what he's a sayin' aint truth. Me an the boys here can go home and be as safe as a virgin at a chess tournament. That don't help nuthin'. We's tired of havin' to be on guard all day and night. Let's get together and bring some civilization back to this situation."
Carlos looked skeptical. "How are we supposed to trust these people?"
Ma had a ready answer. "Stop yer playin' then and kill them all right now. Do that or come to an understandin'. Can't ya see it son. Them's the choices. Kill em all or learn to live with em."
The sound of engines grew louder overhead. The sky filled with parachutes. Attached to each parachute was a large package. The packages varied in shape and size. They appeared to be of substantial size. There were dozens and dozens of them. They were being dropped everywhere, just like in our dreams. The time for decisions had arrived.
Everyone paused to consider the sight of parachutes dropping into Yosemite National Park. Getting to one or more of those packages had to be number one on our list of priorities.
Ma spoke again. "Johnny? What are you going to do? Folks is already a runnin' to gets themselves some of whatever's in them bundles there."
"I can't just release these people and let them mingle here with us. They're not my problem and they're not going to be my problem. Tie em up for now. Christine and I check out the bundles and the rest of you guard them. We'll come back and tell you what's up and then we'll make a plan. Any thoughts?"
Carlos spoke, "That's fine with me. I'm not ready to let these people roam around free, not after they just tried to kill us all. We can talk. We'll talk with them tied up where we can keep an eye on them. What about that, Ma?"
"That's all up to y'all. I've said my piece. We have our own business ta tend to. Y'all stay out of trouble now. I'm tellin' ya. Y'all's gonna have ta talk. Talk or kill each other. That's the choice. Let me speek at ya, Johnny."
I stepped over to Ma and we strolled off away from the group.
"What is it, Ma?"
"You gotta convince them to make peace with these folks, Johnny. Killin' em all ain't gonna do ya a licka good. Ya needs some numbers. They's numbers. They might be a heap better'n whatever else wanders in. Tie em up, lets em stew on it a spell. I see that. Make yer spyin run. When ya gets back ya needs ta make the peace. We's up there if'n ya needs us. We'll signal if'n we needs you. Can we count on ya?"
"Yes. What's the signal?"
"It'll be loud. Can't miss it. Just in case. We'll keep an eye on ya. Jest be smart."
With that, Ma signaled the boys. Lester and Jonesy took off in the direction of the packages and Ma and the rest of the boys headed towards home. Christine and I took off too. I looked back; Carlos and Jen were both watching the crowd of people that were captured in the battle. There didn't look like any fight was left in them.
Our attention quickly turned to the matter at hand. It felt like we were in the wilderness. We heard voices coming from everywhere. We started to see people as well. We took to cover. These people strolled along as though they were shopping in the mall.
"Johnny, have you seen anyone armed? So far, I haven't. These people are strolling along like a day in the park. I don't get it. They should be in dire straits."
I agreed. They weren't acting like anything I expected. "Christine, I'd swear these people were wasted. Look, I don't know what those planes dropped on us, but I say we be careful. These people are just wandering around. That guy curled up by the tree doesn't look like he's getting up. You watch me for any signs. I'll watch you. Could be in the air. I remember those people dropping like flies. Caution rules the day."
She just nodded. She smiled as always without fear. "Let's see where they came from. They're all coming from over that little ridge beyond that giant redwood. Let's check it out."
I nodded in the affirmative and we began to make our way there. Though I doubt anyone we saw on the way would have cared, we nonetheless kept off the path and out of view. At the top of the ridge, we looked out from behind an ancient redwood to a curious scene. There was a giant open container full of supplies with at least twenty people lying on the ground near it scattered about. They appeared uninjured. A couple were moving, writhing would be the word. The rest appeared dead. There were another seven or eight wandering around picking things up and walking in circles.
It was a dilemma. There were supplies down there. But, could we safely go down there and check them out. It sure didn't look like it. It looked like the drops were a lure to draw people in and poison them. But, what was in the boxes. That was the key to the risk. I guess we would have an answer soon enough. One of the semi-conscious people, an older gentleman was walking right towards us. Did he see us? I'm not sure he saw anything. He came to within five feet of us and stopped. He sat the package down and laid down beside it. He passed out within seconds.
I walked over and picked the package up. It read, "Kellogg's Cornflakes on the blue and white label that we noticed attached to the side. I could see that the box held nothing the second I picked it up. I opened it just to verify that. They had dropped off nothing. Who they were would be interesting to know.
Invaders that had over-run our country? Or, as I suspected, was it our own government stabbing us in the back? We had to get back and tell the others. I wish I knew where Lester and Jonesy were. Well, that would have to wait. Things were worse than we thought. This wasn't a rescue; this was an attack.
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