(All right so this one is going to be a little different than the first two. I'll set you up, its late September of 2016, an unknown viral outbreak has begun to spread across the world. the virus is extremely fatal with an long gestation period during which it is highly contagious. All the rest will parallel my real situation. This won't be pretty and it won't be fun.)
September 21, 2016 Day One
Work tomorrow so here I am at the grocery store buying food for work. All around me things seem normal as people go about their day buying groceries, but things aren't normal. The headlines are filled with the latest virus scare, just under the headlines about the American election. It seems one of the election candidates has been missing from the public eye for several days.
My gut told me something was wrong, very wrong, admittedly my gut always told me something was wrong. Almost without thinking I grabbed some extra items; two cases of water, a bulk pack of toilet paper, protein bars, dried milk, and meal replacements. As I paid for my items the pretty young cashier gave me a smile and raised eyebrow, before ringing through the items. I briefly considered warning her but realized it would only make her uncomfortable and me look crazy.
After I loaded the groceries into my Jeep I made a beeline to the Canadian Tire and picked up four half mask respirators, half a dozen chemical resistant coveralls, painters clothes, and as much duct tape as I could afford. Next stop was the outdoors store for two pound propane bottles and ammunition. Finally it was off to the Shoppers's Drugmart for surgical gloves and hand sanitizer, my credit rating was taking a huge hit today but it wouldn't be the first time and if I was wrong I would just pay it off later.
I tuned to the AM news station on my drive home, the boring voiced liberal media was never my thing but occasionally they hit on something useful. On my short drive home I learned about a wine festival in the Okanogan but nothing useful.
Back at home I did my best to keep my wife, Eden, from seeing my extra purchases. She never liked my paranoid prepper life style but I figured it was better safe than story. My ability to be prepared was far better than my ability to be discrete and she caught on pretty quickly.
"What is it this time? Terrorists? World War 3? These things never turn to be true and you're just wasting money babe."
"It's a viral outbreak this time and it's here."
"What do you mean it's here?"
"I drove past the hospital and it was lined up out the door."
"That happens a lot babe."
"There's more, there's been an increase of sick calls at work and everywhere else."
"So are we just going to hide in the house?"
"No you and Xavier are, we can afford that, I'll go to work until I can't anymore."
Outside an ambulance flew past our house with lights and sirens screaming. For the first time in our marriage my wife consented and said her and Xavier would stay at home for a little while. Before I went to bed I saw a new headline stating the US presidential candidate had died, and just below that a body count from India that had reached six digits.
Friday, 26 August 2016
Monday, 15 August 2016
What If: Stranded in winter
Well here we are with another what if scenario, this time my vehicle has slid off a winter road and left me stranded. It's the middle of winter, night, and snow is falling.
I locked the four wheel drive and feathered the gas, the whine of free spinning tires confirmed that I wasn't going anywhere. Flipping on the Auxiliary Lights I stepped out of the my Jeep Patriot and into knee deep snow. The landscape around me flickered as the heavy snow floated past the lights, it was damn cold too. I looked both ways down the winter road between Fort Chipewyan and Fort Smith, but there wouldn't anyone coming this way for a while.
It was after ten on a Saturday night in the middle of February, so I lit a cigar and considered my situation. I could probably dig the Jeep out but with the snow still falling and after I long day I had no desire to do any late night digging. There was no cell service and no one would be looking for me tonight. So I put out my cigar and climbed back in the Jeep, flicking off the lights and killing the engine.
Unlacing my boots I climbed into the back of the Jeep, which I converted into a camper for this trip by folding down the back seats and laying down a sleeping pad and sub zero sleeping bag. Clicking on a little battery powered lantern which filled the Jeep with light, I grabbed my adventure/survival pack. Inside I had several MREs and a couple bottles of water, I sipped at the water while the MRE, Beef Ravioli, cooked.
I flipped through a survival guide while I ate, the food bland but filling. A chocolate bar for desert and I crawled into my sleeping in bag. the Jeep was cold but inside the bag I was warm and as I drifted off to sleep I hoped the Jeep would start in the morning.
It was still dark when I woke and a check of my watch showed it to be about eight in the morning. I crawled out of my sleeping bag and immediately began shivering. Inside the bag it had been several balmy degrees above zero but out in the Jeep it was at least ten degrees below, with condensation frozen to all the windows.
Climbing into the driver's seat I turned the key and was greeted to the purring of the Jeep's engine coming to life. I cranked the heat and rolled down opposite windows before climbing back into the living area for breakfast. A water bottle from my sleeping bag warmed up the pork sausage MRE for breakfast while I waited for the Jeep to warm up.
Breakfast finished and the windows cleared I laced up my boots and got out of the Jeep. It was chilly but I was dressed warm as always, I lit my cigar back up and looked around. At least two or three centimeters had fallen while I was sleeping covering the road and the Jeep.
First things first I had to clean the Jeep off and make myself more visible. I ran into my first complication clearing off the hood when I discovered the front tires had frozen into the snow. Second complication came when I discovered a large gap of air between the back tires and Terra firma. I wasn't going anywhere without a tug back onto solid ground.
I was right in the middle between the two villages with 180 km in either direction and it was Sunday. I briefly considered walking to one of them but I didn't have provisions, a map, and it was winter. So I grabbed my shovel off the roof and started chipping away at the front tires. After about an hour I had the tires basically free and realizing the Jeep was still running decided to check the fuel.
The gauge had dipped below half a tank so I shut the engine off and emptied one of the three Jerry cans into the tank putting me at just under full. With nothing else to do and the sun rapidly rising in the south I dropped back into the driver's seat and flicked on the hazards. I had just finished my lunch of an energy bar and water when I heard the honking coming from the road.
I jumped out of the Jeep and waved to the pickup that had stopped a few feet down the road. A kind looking man with a round face and broad smile stepped out and waved.
"You all right?"
"I'm fine, thank you, just need a little tug."
"I think I can help, you got a rope?"
"Yup, You line up and I'll grab the strap."
He got back into his truck and lined up with the Jeep while I grabbed the bright yellow tow strap from inside. Two hooks and a quick tug and the Jeep was back on the road, I smiled and thanked my rescuer who wished me well. The tow strap back in the trunk and my sunglasses on I hit the road thinking of the smiling faces waiting for me and the way things could have gone.
It was after ten on a Saturday night in the middle of February, so I lit a cigar and considered my situation. I could probably dig the Jeep out but with the snow still falling and after I long day I had no desire to do any late night digging. There was no cell service and no one would be looking for me tonight. So I put out my cigar and climbed back in the Jeep, flicking off the lights and killing the engine.
Unlacing my boots I climbed into the back of the Jeep, which I converted into a camper for this trip by folding down the back seats and laying down a sleeping pad and sub zero sleeping bag. Clicking on a little battery powered lantern which filled the Jeep with light, I grabbed my adventure/survival pack. Inside I had several MREs and a couple bottles of water, I sipped at the water while the MRE, Beef Ravioli, cooked.
I flipped through a survival guide while I ate, the food bland but filling. A chocolate bar for desert and I crawled into my sleeping in bag. the Jeep was cold but inside the bag I was warm and as I drifted off to sleep I hoped the Jeep would start in the morning.
It was still dark when I woke and a check of my watch showed it to be about eight in the morning. I crawled out of my sleeping bag and immediately began shivering. Inside the bag it had been several balmy degrees above zero but out in the Jeep it was at least ten degrees below, with condensation frozen to all the windows.
Climbing into the driver's seat I turned the key and was greeted to the purring of the Jeep's engine coming to life. I cranked the heat and rolled down opposite windows before climbing back into the living area for breakfast. A water bottle from my sleeping bag warmed up the pork sausage MRE for breakfast while I waited for the Jeep to warm up.
Breakfast finished and the windows cleared I laced up my boots and got out of the Jeep. It was chilly but I was dressed warm as always, I lit my cigar back up and looked around. At least two or three centimeters had fallen while I was sleeping covering the road and the Jeep.
First things first I had to clean the Jeep off and make myself more visible. I ran into my first complication clearing off the hood when I discovered the front tires had frozen into the snow. Second complication came when I discovered a large gap of air between the back tires and Terra firma. I wasn't going anywhere without a tug back onto solid ground.
I was right in the middle between the two villages with 180 km in either direction and it was Sunday. I briefly considered walking to one of them but I didn't have provisions, a map, and it was winter. So I grabbed my shovel off the roof and started chipping away at the front tires. After about an hour I had the tires basically free and realizing the Jeep was still running decided to check the fuel.
The gauge had dipped below half a tank so I shut the engine off and emptied one of the three Jerry cans into the tank putting me at just under full. With nothing else to do and the sun rapidly rising in the south I dropped back into the driver's seat and flicked on the hazards. I had just finished my lunch of an energy bar and water when I heard the honking coming from the road.
I jumped out of the Jeep and waved to the pickup that had stopped a few feet down the road. A kind looking man with a round face and broad smile stepped out and waved.
"You all right?"
"I'm fine, thank you, just need a little tug."
"I think I can help, you got a rope?"
"Yup, You line up and I'll grab the strap."
He got back into his truck and lined up with the Jeep while I grabbed the bright yellow tow strap from inside. Two hooks and a quick tug and the Jeep was back on the road, I smiled and thanked my rescuer who wished me well. The tow strap back in the trunk and my sunglasses on I hit the road thinking of the smiling faces waiting for me and the way things could have gone.
Saturday, 13 August 2016
What if? Trapped in Rio during a coup
In the last issue of Recoil Off-Grid magazine they did a what if involving you and your partner being trapped in Rio during an uprising. I read the three ideas in the magazine and decided as an exercise I would do on of my own, it goes as follows.
I was annoyed already, I hated coming to countries where the government had little power to begin with and Brazil was really going down hill. I had come down for a Security Convention and was anxious to get back home but Eden wanted to enjoy the beaches and some shopping so I had relented. It had been quite apparent that things had gone to shit around Rio and were only getting worse.
The fecal matter impacted the air turbine just as we returned to our hotel from a day of shopping. All around sounds of civil unrest echoed around the big city but the sounds of screams and the chatter of automatic weapons clinched it for me, it was time to go. I hustled Eden up to our hotel room where we quickly changed into our Canadian flag shirts and grabbed a few things.
I wore Under Armour tactical boots in desert tan and a pair of matching cargo pants. Eden wore flip flops and denim shorts as she refused to dress practically. We gathered up our passports and cash, I wasn't too worried about hiding them because I figured anyone willing to rob us would probably also kill us. The news said the rebels were after Americans so I hoped our Canadian shirts would help but wasn't confident.
Both around six foot tall with pale features and bright eyes, her's blue and mine green, there was no way Eden and I would be blending in. Instead I decided to grab the SOG Pentagon Elite 2 I liked to carry everywhere and just hope I didn't need it. I checked my phone and punched in directions for the Canadian Embassy, it was closer than the airport and probably our best bet.
My hopes to leave without a fight were quickly dashed as the sound of screams and gunfire came from just down the hall. I told Eden to lock herself in the bathroom and the hunker down in the tub while I got ready. I latched the door and braced the chair against the handle, they were in the next room now. I pressed my ear to the wall and closed my eyes, there were two of them, both most likely armed and confident about their power.
I crouched down on the right hand side of the door so the door would swing away from me. Without warning the door shook and one of the men outside uttered a stream of what I can only imagine were Portuguese curses. This was followed by the rapid boom of automatic weapons fire punching several holes in the door.
I knew what was coming and prepared myself mentally, I'd never had to kill anyone, hell I'd never been in a fight since High School but I had something these two didn't. I had promised to keep my wife safe no matter what and I wasn't about to let two punks hurt her. The door came flying into the room just as my mind cleared and adrenaline surged into my veins.
The two thugs came into the room right behind the door, missing me entirely as they went for the suitcases still on the bed. The first one in carried an AK47 while his partner had a pistol I couldn't immediately identify, they both wore balaclavas made from T-shirts.
Rising up behind them I stepped up and drove the Pentagon directly into the base of pistol guy's skull, he collapsed immediately without warning but it caught his friend's attention. He turned quickly but the AK was too long and he couldn't bring it to bear before I lunged the three feet between us and tackled him to the floor. At six feet and 230 pounds the little rebel didn't have a chance to stop me, the AK bouncing away on the carpeted floor.
His head bouncing of the bed from left my opponent a little dazed, and hating ground fighting I took the advantage by straddling my heavy frame over the little rebel's chest. Wrapping my left hand around his throat I squeezed, hard. My nails dug into the would be killer's flesh as his eyes bulged and he clawed at my wrist. Realizing I was short on time and his friends may have heard the scuffle I made the decision to finish things by stabbing him in the chest, the shark tooth blade piercing flesh and bone until the struggling stopped.
I looted the corpses for anything I could use, the pistol turned out to be a Glock, not my favourite but it would do. I left the AK but not before bending the barrel against the floor. Two extra mags for the Glock was all I found of use on the two.
I knocked on the bathroom and told Eden she could come out but to keep her eyes closed and I would lead her out of the room. The hotel had gone quiet and I assumed the two here had been the only ones in the hotel. Without a holster to store it in I put the Glock into my waistband between my belt and my pants. The magazines went into a cargo pocket and the knife back into my front right pocket.
Eden came out of the bathroom and we made our way down to the lobby, it was deserted except for the bodies of the staff and a few guests.
Out the main doors I saw a bright orange pickup idling with two more balaclava sporting rebels and told Eden we would head out the back. Once out in the alley we began making our way to the Embassy which my phone said was still eight block away, there was no cell service in the city but I had downloaded the map on the hotel's Wi-Fi. As we reached the edge of the alley I could hear the sounds of chanting and gunfire coming from the street.
Peering around the corner I witnessed a mob of gun toting rebels engaged in a firefight with the Police. I told Eden we would have to find another way, which meant going back down the alley and away from the Embassy. Running as quickly as Eden could in flip flops we headed for the other end of the alley.
A guy in a VW bus was at the end of the alley, he waved to us and called out "Americans?" I shook my head and replied "Canadians!" He nodded and motioned for us to get in, which we quickly obliged as another truck loaded with masked man came around the corner a few blocks down.
Eden sat behind the driver and I sat kitty corner to him as I pulled the door shut. Without prompting the driver took off and headed down the street. Showing the driver my phone I said "Embaixada do Canada."
He nodded and immediately took off in the opposite direction of the Embassy. I looked at Eden shook my head and pulled the Pentagon from my pocket, opening it as quietly as possible. The driver turned left into a park and stopped under a tree. The van wasn't completely stopped as his upper body turned, the left hand bringing the concealed pistol to bear on us.
Using my left hand I reached out and half cocked the pistol, jamming it, my right swung up and speared the knife through the driver's left wrist. I followed the swing all the way up until the knife pierced the van's roof, I pulled the pistol from his grasp as I did so. To my great surprise Eden cold cocked the driver, an audible crack followed by a steady stream blood from his nose.
I handed Eden the driver's Tokarev and pulled the Glock from my belt, the driver had begun screaming. As the tears from his broken nose cleared the driver realized he was staring down the barrel of my borrowed Glock and he became very silent. I pulled the Pentagon out of his wrist and told him to "get the fuck out." I don't know if he understood the words or the tone but he left the van in a hurry.
Eden and I climbed into the front seats of the van and I swung us around and headed back towards the Embassy. As we got closer to the road again I cleared the jammed Tokarev and handed it to Eden, who was usually pretty anti gun but she took it without question. The streets were choked with fires, vehicles, and bodies but I was able to find us a clear path to the Embassy without anymore trouble.
I rolled to stop and advised Eden to get out but leave the gun in the van as we approached the embassy.
We approached the embassy with our hands up and a big clean cut man carrying an MP5 approached and said "are you two Canadian?" I nodded and held out our passports. "Well you're just in time, everyone is leaving." We followed the Embassy guard to a waiting helicopter.
I was annoyed already, I hated coming to countries where the government had little power to begin with and Brazil was really going down hill. I had come down for a Security Convention and was anxious to get back home but Eden wanted to enjoy the beaches and some shopping so I had relented. It had been quite apparent that things had gone to shit around Rio and were only getting worse.
The fecal matter impacted the air turbine just as we returned to our hotel from a day of shopping. All around sounds of civil unrest echoed around the big city but the sounds of screams and the chatter of automatic weapons clinched it for me, it was time to go. I hustled Eden up to our hotel room where we quickly changed into our Canadian flag shirts and grabbed a few things.
I wore Under Armour tactical boots in desert tan and a pair of matching cargo pants. Eden wore flip flops and denim shorts as she refused to dress practically. We gathered up our passports and cash, I wasn't too worried about hiding them because I figured anyone willing to rob us would probably also kill us. The news said the rebels were after Americans so I hoped our Canadian shirts would help but wasn't confident.
Both around six foot tall with pale features and bright eyes, her's blue and mine green, there was no way Eden and I would be blending in. Instead I decided to grab the SOG Pentagon Elite 2 I liked to carry everywhere and just hope I didn't need it. I checked my phone and punched in directions for the Canadian Embassy, it was closer than the airport and probably our best bet.
My hopes to leave without a fight were quickly dashed as the sound of screams and gunfire came from just down the hall. I told Eden to lock herself in the bathroom and the hunker down in the tub while I got ready. I latched the door and braced the chair against the handle, they were in the next room now. I pressed my ear to the wall and closed my eyes, there were two of them, both most likely armed and confident about their power.
I crouched down on the right hand side of the door so the door would swing away from me. Without warning the door shook and one of the men outside uttered a stream of what I can only imagine were Portuguese curses. This was followed by the rapid boom of automatic weapons fire punching several holes in the door.
I knew what was coming and prepared myself mentally, I'd never had to kill anyone, hell I'd never been in a fight since High School but I had something these two didn't. I had promised to keep my wife safe no matter what and I wasn't about to let two punks hurt her. The door came flying into the room just as my mind cleared and adrenaline surged into my veins.
The two thugs came into the room right behind the door, missing me entirely as they went for the suitcases still on the bed. The first one in carried an AK47 while his partner had a pistol I couldn't immediately identify, they both wore balaclavas made from T-shirts.
Rising up behind them I stepped up and drove the Pentagon directly into the base of pistol guy's skull, he collapsed immediately without warning but it caught his friend's attention. He turned quickly but the AK was too long and he couldn't bring it to bear before I lunged the three feet between us and tackled him to the floor. At six feet and 230 pounds the little rebel didn't have a chance to stop me, the AK bouncing away on the carpeted floor.
His head bouncing of the bed from left my opponent a little dazed, and hating ground fighting I took the advantage by straddling my heavy frame over the little rebel's chest. Wrapping my left hand around his throat I squeezed, hard. My nails dug into the would be killer's flesh as his eyes bulged and he clawed at my wrist. Realizing I was short on time and his friends may have heard the scuffle I made the decision to finish things by stabbing him in the chest, the shark tooth blade piercing flesh and bone until the struggling stopped.
I looted the corpses for anything I could use, the pistol turned out to be a Glock, not my favourite but it would do. I left the AK but not before bending the barrel against the floor. Two extra mags for the Glock was all I found of use on the two.
I knocked on the bathroom and told Eden she could come out but to keep her eyes closed and I would lead her out of the room. The hotel had gone quiet and I assumed the two here had been the only ones in the hotel. Without a holster to store it in I put the Glock into my waistband between my belt and my pants. The magazines went into a cargo pocket and the knife back into my front right pocket.
Eden came out of the bathroom and we made our way down to the lobby, it was deserted except for the bodies of the staff and a few guests.
Out the main doors I saw a bright orange pickup idling with two more balaclava sporting rebels and told Eden we would head out the back. Once out in the alley we began making our way to the Embassy which my phone said was still eight block away, there was no cell service in the city but I had downloaded the map on the hotel's Wi-Fi. As we reached the edge of the alley I could hear the sounds of chanting and gunfire coming from the street.
Peering around the corner I witnessed a mob of gun toting rebels engaged in a firefight with the Police. I told Eden we would have to find another way, which meant going back down the alley and away from the Embassy. Running as quickly as Eden could in flip flops we headed for the other end of the alley.
A guy in a VW bus was at the end of the alley, he waved to us and called out "Americans?" I shook my head and replied "Canadians!" He nodded and motioned for us to get in, which we quickly obliged as another truck loaded with masked man came around the corner a few blocks down.
Eden sat behind the driver and I sat kitty corner to him as I pulled the door shut. Without prompting the driver took off and headed down the street. Showing the driver my phone I said "Embaixada do Canada."
He nodded and immediately took off in the opposite direction of the Embassy. I looked at Eden shook my head and pulled the Pentagon from my pocket, opening it as quietly as possible. The driver turned left into a park and stopped under a tree. The van wasn't completely stopped as his upper body turned, the left hand bringing the concealed pistol to bear on us.
Using my left hand I reached out and half cocked the pistol, jamming it, my right swung up and speared the knife through the driver's left wrist. I followed the swing all the way up until the knife pierced the van's roof, I pulled the pistol from his grasp as I did so. To my great surprise Eden cold cocked the driver, an audible crack followed by a steady stream blood from his nose.
I handed Eden the driver's Tokarev and pulled the Glock from my belt, the driver had begun screaming. As the tears from his broken nose cleared the driver realized he was staring down the barrel of my borrowed Glock and he became very silent. I pulled the Pentagon out of his wrist and told him to "get the fuck out." I don't know if he understood the words or the tone but he left the van in a hurry.
Eden and I climbed into the front seats of the van and I swung us around and headed back towards the Embassy. As we got closer to the road again I cleared the jammed Tokarev and handed it to Eden, who was usually pretty anti gun but she took it without question. The streets were choked with fires, vehicles, and bodies but I was able to find us a clear path to the Embassy without anymore trouble.
I rolled to stop and advised Eden to get out but leave the gun in the van as we approached the embassy.
We approached the embassy with our hands up and a big clean cut man carrying an MP5 approached and said "are you two Canadian?" I nodded and held out our passports. "Well you're just in time, everyone is leaving." We followed the Embassy guard to a waiting helicopter.
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