Militia by Justin D. Russell Page B

trucks and SUV’s. They did their best to push the abandoned cars out of sight from the roads and continued to make their way further into the mountains. Another day of driving got them within a few miles of their new home but these last few miles were completely undrivable for any vehicle. There were no more roads left and nothing but mountains as far as the eye could see.
    The men and their families got out of their vehicles loaded themselves with what they could carry and continued on foot. Those with young children carried nothing but their kids, while the rest of the town tried their best to help. The few miles took almost two days to cross but they all made it without injury. Once in the location of their new town Mike led groups of the militia back to the vehicles to grab the rest of the belongings. It took close to a week but the convoy was emptied and abandoned with all remaining vehicles hidden as well as was possible.
    Over the next few weeks the carpenters led their teams building log homes for each family. They were built to be fast and simple but still sturdy enough to make it through the long winter that awaited them. The hunters worked around the clock to gather as much food as possible, mostly with bows and arrows to avoid using precious ammo. Anyone who was left found tasks, like gathering a huge supply of firewood, helping to make jerky from the meat the hunting parties brought in, and making clothes out of the furs. Mike led a group to the nearest range that fortunately still had bails of razor wire lying around and started to make a safe perimeter around their camp. Everybody from the smallest child to the most disciplined soldiers found work to do.
    By the time winter started they were more prepared than Mike had imagined they would be. It quickly became painfully cold but the cabins were built well and there was enough wood gathered to keep them livable through the winter. The doctors and nurses worked around the clock to treat even the smallest cold and flu symptoms and had managed to bring enough medicine for the more serious illnesses.
    Mike sat outside of his small cabin home with Steve both men looking with pride at the town they had built so quickly. It was small and simple but it was a hell of a good start that they would be able to build upon in the coming years.
    “You know none of this would have happened without you Steve.” Mike said.
    “Yeah right Mike, this was all your doing buddy.”
    “No man if it wasn’t for you and your dad I would have never even formed a militia much less moved an entire town all of these miles to start new. That meeting that your family organized started all of this in motion.”
    “I guess you have a point Mike. Now where do we go from here? All of these people are glad that they followed you here but many of them look at this town as something that is temporary. They still have homes back in Pennsylvania that they dream of one day returning to but I’m not sold on things outside of these mountains ever improving.”
    “Well that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. As far as this town is concerned I agree with you that things are not going to get better in this country and know that if these people want free lives they are going to be here for a long time. I keep thinking about the oath I took when I raised my right hand a swore to defend this country against all enemies foreign and domestic. I’m not sure that I can stay in these mountains forever even if that seems like the best thing to do. Part of me wants to convince the militia to leave once we have helped build this town up and take back what is ours. I’m just not sure enough people will be willing to follow.”
    “If you leave then I’m going with you and I know that a lot of the people you have trained will feel the same way. Just give it time and we will evaluate our options when that day comes.”
    The two men stood in silence for a moment before Steve told Mike goodnight and