here right now?”
“I understand where you are coming from Tom, but the way I see it the town is actually the people in our community not the location of those people. If we stay together we will still be the people of Edinboro regardless of what piece of earth we inhabit. I know it is a lot to ask to give up our homes, and uproot our families but if we stay here we could lose everything anyway.”
“Shit, Mike, I couldn’t have put it better myself,” Steve said. Mark simply nodded his head in agreement.
“Oh hell, Mike, I guess I see your point but it is still a lot to ask from people, many of which have been here for three or more generations,” said Tom.
“I understand Tom, but this might be our only chance to watch future generations grow and know some kind of freedom. Moving is not going to be the end of this community but instead a new beginning. We cant make anybody leave but get back with your platoons and get me the numbers of the ones who want to go with us.” Mike wasn’t sure how many would leave but he assumed most of them would agree to it. When his platoon leaders reported back it had been decided that they would all stay together and follow Mike wherever he led them.
“Listen up Middle Militia,” Mike sounded off in his best command voice, “you have three days. Go back to your families and talk it over with them. After three days time we meet back here at five in the morning as usual. If you are not here nobody will think any less of you. Pack your vehicles with items that you will need. Bring as much bottled water and canned food as possible as well as warm clothing. We are going to stay off of the main roads to avoid being stopped and searched. The rifles are going to be split up into three trucks one for each platoon and every one of you will carry a handgun on your person for the trip. If we get stopped we may need to fight back to keep from having our arsenal taken but let’s hope that it doesn’t come to that.”
The next few days were spent planning each leg of the trip with his platoon leaders, packing, and trying to relax as much as possible. Mike knew exactly where they were going and nobody would be looking for them much less finding them there. Fort Jefferson was not only in the middle of nowhere but was surrounded by some of the most dangerous and grueling terrain in the nation. It was going to be hard but by arriving in early spring Mike felt that they had a chance to be ready for winter. Not only would they be cut off from civilization and hidden from the government but they would have access to all the training grounds that had been abandoned when Mike’s unit was disbanded and possibly any equipment that might have been left behind on the base.
The night before they were to leave town Mike started carrying his bags downstairs when he noticed that neither one of his parents had packed anything. He set his bags down and looked at them sitting peacefully at the dinner table.
“What gives? Are you not planning on bringing anything?” Mike asked.
“Mike, take a break and come sit down with us for a minute. You might be the leader of the Middle Militia but I am still your father and I say you have time to sit and have dinner with us.”
Mike did as he was told and sat next to his father while his mother put a plate of food in front of him.
“Mike, your mother and I have been talking and we have decided to stay here. Before you say anything please listen. We are both getting old and we have lived in this home for over twenty years. This is where we watched you grow into the man you are today and this is where we plan to spend the rest of our lives even if they are not as long, or as peaceful, as we had hoped. You have turned into an amazing man and one heck of a leader. We are both so proud of everything you have done and everything that you are doing right now. We love you very much, but our place is here and your place is with your militia.”
There never was room
“I understand where you are coming from Tom, but the way I see it the town is actually the people in our community not the location of those people. If we stay together we will still be the people of Edinboro regardless of what piece of earth we inhabit. I know it is a lot to ask to give up our homes, and uproot our families but if we stay here we could lose everything anyway.”
“Shit, Mike, I couldn’t have put it better myself,” Steve said. Mark simply nodded his head in agreement.
“Oh hell, Mike, I guess I see your point but it is still a lot to ask from people, many of which have been here for three or more generations,” said Tom.
“I understand Tom, but this might be our only chance to watch future generations grow and know some kind of freedom. Moving is not going to be the end of this community but instead a new beginning. We cant make anybody leave but get back with your platoons and get me the numbers of the ones who want to go with us.” Mike wasn’t sure how many would leave but he assumed most of them would agree to it. When his platoon leaders reported back it had been decided that they would all stay together and follow Mike wherever he led them.
“Listen up Middle Militia,” Mike sounded off in his best command voice, “you have three days. Go back to your families and talk it over with them. After three days time we meet back here at five in the morning as usual. If you are not here nobody will think any less of you. Pack your vehicles with items that you will need. Bring as much bottled water and canned food as possible as well as warm clothing. We are going to stay off of the main roads to avoid being stopped and searched. The rifles are going to be split up into three trucks one for each platoon and every one of you will carry a handgun on your person for the trip. If we get stopped we may need to fight back to keep from having our arsenal taken but let’s hope that it doesn’t come to that.”
The next few days were spent planning each leg of the trip with his platoon leaders, packing, and trying to relax as much as possible. Mike knew exactly where they were going and nobody would be looking for them much less finding them there. Fort Jefferson was not only in the middle of nowhere but was surrounded by some of the most dangerous and grueling terrain in the nation. It was going to be hard but by arriving in early spring Mike felt that they had a chance to be ready for winter. Not only would they be cut off from civilization and hidden from the government but they would have access to all the training grounds that had been abandoned when Mike’s unit was disbanded and possibly any equipment that might have been left behind on the base.
The night before they were to leave town Mike started carrying his bags downstairs when he noticed that neither one of his parents had packed anything. He set his bags down and looked at them sitting peacefully at the dinner table.
“What gives? Are you not planning on bringing anything?” Mike asked.
“Mike, take a break and come sit down with us for a minute. You might be the leader of the Middle Militia but I am still your father and I say you have time to sit and have dinner with us.”
Mike did as he was told and sat next to his father while his mother put a plate of food in front of him.
“Mike, your mother and I have been talking and we have decided to stay here. Before you say anything please listen. We are both getting old and we have lived in this home for over twenty years. This is where we watched you grow into the man you are today and this is where we plan to spend the rest of our lives even if they are not as long, or as peaceful, as we had hoped. You have turned into an amazing man and one heck of a leader. We are both so proud of everything you have done and everything that you are doing right now. We love you very much, but our place is here and your place is with your militia.”
There never was room
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