Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:49:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Blade Hamer Subject: Turnhurst Manor Chapter 4 Disclaimers: Everything you read in this story is my intellectual property and as such should be treated with utmost respect. The people described are not living, breathing human beings mind you. They exist only in the realm of pure imagination, somewhat. These are my fantasies that I have developed over the years. The people described in the story do not really exist, but are rather the combination of several different people. Thus I am not harming anyone, because they combine features and thus are not really in existence. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL PEOPLE IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL ON MY PART. All other disclaimers/rules/procedures apply. If you are under the legal age of viewing this material (depending upon where you live, that could be any age) please direct yourself to something else that will occupy your time. This is my first attempt at writing for Nifty, so please take that into consideration while reading. I've ready plenty of Nifty stories over the years, and have enjoyed many of the stories that I consider good, now I'm just trying to pay it forward. It's going to be a chapter story, so if you are looking for a quick toss-off better move onto the next story. Other than that, I sincerely hope you enjoy my story. Constructive criticism/feedback/comments are duly appreciated. Please direct them to my email at razor_bald@yahoo.com. All are welcome! Turnhurst Manor by Razor Blade Chapter 4 Summer was coming to end. It was hot most of the time, but the crops were doing well and we were already harvesting some of the crops we had planted. Somehow Brandon had got a few of the tractors running with the help of Chris of course. Those two had become good friends but I did not trust Brandon for some reason. When Brandon couldn't figure some things out he would ask if he could get help from Chris. So I would bring him over to help and when they got something going, Brandon would take the credit for it. Chris said he didn't mind but I could tell that it did. I also realized that if they found out that Chris was the real genius he would be taken from our housing unit and I knew that would kill Ben. Eddy and Tom no longer watched our housing unit because we were the most behaved, educated, and disciplined house. Thanks to Ben and me and of course the boys help too. We figured it was easier to learn and train so that when the time came we could help fight or fight to escape. My birthday was coming up and Tom asked me what I would like for a present. He said I could have anything that I wanted. So I asked if I could see my father. So on the day of my birthday I was brought to one of the house on the out skirts of town and was left there while they brought my father to see me. When I saw him come through the door I ran to him and gave him a big hug. Dad hugged me back. He told me it looked like I had grown since the last time I saw him. Tom left us alone so we could talk. I asked dad how he was doing and he told me he was doing fine. But I could tell he was lying. He had lost weight and he looked like he had not been out in the sun at all. His skin was pale and where there had been muscle before there was only skin and bone. I told him we needed to get out of here. He frowned, "we can't leave; they would kill us if they were to catch us and I am not in any condition to be traveling." "That is the reason to get out of here this place is killing you dad." I said with tears in my eyes. He stroked my hair. Then said, "don't worry about me son just take care of yourself." Dad hugged me close and started to shed tears. He held me close to him and right there and then I made up my mind we were going to escape that night. As dad held me I began to whisper my plan for escape that night. Dad sat there silent listening to my plan. I didn't think he would do it at first, then whispered back he was in. We made our plans, I told him there would be a few other coming with. At first he did not like the idea but when I told him I didn't really have a choice he agrees. So when we parted our plans were set there was no going back. Our new journey was about to begin. When I got back to the housing unit I gathered Ben, Chris, and Kyle together and told that tonight was the night so we needed to get ready. Ben would be on guard tonight so that worked out to our advantage. We were to meet by the corn field. There would move into the field head straight across and hopefully come out of the field right next to the woods where I had stashed all the supplies. I would have to go get my father and try to meet up with everyone. I was not sure how I would get pass the guards at the big house, I had not thought that far ahead. When night began to fall Ben headed out to guard the fields. I told Chris and Kyle that they were not to leave until I gave them the signal. So they waited while made my way across the compound, I walked out in the open where I could and when I couldn't I would sneak around buildings. Many of the guards were used to seeing me out at night. Around the big house more guards were posted, but tonight there did not seem to be as many. I saw movement at the corner of the house. At first I thought it was one of the guards so I hid. I watched as the man made his way to one of the outlying building, then cross the yard ducking behind barrels and barricades as he went. As he got closer I could see that it was my father. I rushed over to him and together we made our way back to my housing unite. I had my father hide behind the store while I went inside to get Chris and Kyle. When I got to my sleeping area I found Kyle crying in the corner when I asked him what happened he told me that to men came and took Chris. "Damn" I said. "When?" I asked Kyle. He told me they had come in just after I had left. I did not know what to think, because they had left all of his belongings so they could be bring him back. I didn't know what to do; I knew if we left now they would beat Chris to see if he knew any information on where we had gone. But this was our only chance. I told Kyle to grab his stuff and follow me. Dad met us at the back of the building and we made our way across the compound to the field and disappeared into the corn. I lead the way thorough the corn till we reached the end of the field where Ben was waiting. When I told him that they had took Chris from the unit he said he wanted to go back. "No" I said. Ben stood and glared at me. Then said, "I am going back, I don't care what they do to me. Chris is my friend." "I know, he is my friend too but they would know you helped us escape." I said. Just then we heard noise coming from the field. Chris emerged with his stuff on his back. "Let's go" he said. "They know something is up and they are looking for you and Kyle right now, I slipped out when they went to get Tom." So we hurried into the trees and I lead the way. When I was planning I picked the hardest route I could find; I figured most people who try to escape would go just through the woods. So the first leg of our journey we went through the trees then we went through tall grass, thickets, and the thorny brush. I would point to the guys to where I wanted them go and told them once they got to the middle to stop. I gave Ben a machete to cut out some of the bush. Then I would back track to where we came from and use brush to hide our tracks the best I could. A few times I thought I saw someone and I would stop and listen it but it was dark out and I couldn't really tell if there was someone there or not. I slipped back into the bushes and waited but did I not see anyone. I made my way to the middle of the thick brush and met up with Ben. My dad was resting while the others were tending to their wounds. Ben hugged me when I came out into the open, then asked if anyone was following us. I told him I had not seen anyone but I knew they would come as soon as day would break. I asked my dad how he was doing he said he was ok. Then I gave him a big hug and sat down next to him. He held me for a few minutes. Then he suggests that we keep moving. I knew we should to so I got up and told the guys I would lead the way. The deeper we moved into the thickets and thorn the thicker they became it was getting harder to move through because the thorns would tear at your clothes and skin. Chris was getting cut up the mainly because he only had on shorts and a tee shirt. I suggested to Chris to put more clothes on but he just pushed on. We were still in the thickets and thorn at day break so I decided that the group should rest. It was not easy sleeping on the hard ground with roots sticking into your back and if you rolled or turned you would get stuck by thorns it is not the best way to get rest but we tried. At one point I thought I heard men yelling and even a few shots fired but then I fell back to sleep. I woke up sometime around late afternoon and I went to look how far we still had to go while the others still slept. To my surprise we were only a few hundred feet from an open field. I could see foot prints in the dirt. The search party had not been that far from where we were. That made me a little nervous, they could still be around. So I crawled back into the thickets. When I got back to the others I told them what I had found and we all agreed that we would stay there until night fall. We ate some of the supplies we had brought along then napped so we could be rested up for the rest of our night's journey. Once we moved out into the open field we moved as fast as we could so we would not be spotted. Once we made the next tree line we stop so we could patch up Chris who was a bloody mess. Though the bleeding had stop he was covered with blood from the scratches. We found a small stream and drank then washed up. I had packed wrap for wounds and began to make Chris look like a mummy. After we got him bandaged up we all had a good laugh. Once Chris got dress we began our travels once again, since we were now a full day's from the compound we slowed our pace. We did that to make it look like we were just traveler moving across the country side. We would stop now and then to give my dad a rest. He was the weakest of the five of us. Every chance we had Ben, Kyle and myself would go hunting for food so that we could keep up our supplies. Days turned into a weeks. Since we had not seen anyone for a week we decided we would find some place to camp out for a few weeks. Dad seem to be getting stronger but did not look to good. We found an old abandoned farm house with a few out houses and a barn. Chris and Ben went out to investigate while dad Kyle and I looked around the house. Inside the farm house we found that it had three bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen with two baths. The water was not working but there was an old pump house out back. There was some furniture in the house some chairs a couch and a TV. But there was no electricity and even if there was none of us thought there would be any television station on the air. Upstairs the room had beds and dressers in each room. From the looks of it the people left in a hurry because there were still cloths and other belonging inside of the dressers. Dad laid down in one of the smaller bed and rested for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Chris and Ben returned from the outlying building. Chris was all excited he had found an old truck that seems to be in good condition and he said he wanted to see if he could get it going. They also looked at the old pump house and found that the generator there was seized up but Chris said he could have that going by tomorrow evening if he could find oil and some gasoline. We worked in the house for the rest of the day cleaning what we could, mostly the bedrooms so we could bed down for the night. Ben and I sat down and discussed how the group could get out of the house if it were to be taken under siege and decide what would be the best route out. We also decided that we should take turns watching for any rebels or the compound. That night I took the first watch. Ben said he would take the third and Kyle would take the second. Both Kyle and I are night owls so it seemed to worked out good. Dad and Chris both said they wanted to take a turn but we talked them out of it. I didn't think dad was strong enough and Chris was just too young. But we never told them that. We also split the bedrooms up into two's, Chris and Ben in one, Kyle and I in another and we let dad keep the room he was already in. Sharing a room with Kyle worked out good because while I was awake he got the bed to himself. I would crawl into bed and Kyle would leave to do his shift. It seems to work out great. A few days had past and thing seem to be going good. Chris got the generator going in the old pump house. So now we had water in the house and we were able to get cleaned up. Dad was on his feet and helping around the house and the farm place. Dads complexion still did not look to good and we all knew it was because he needed to eat. Which dad did little of. Chris was now working on the truck he had found. I had to laugh because he was so small and to see him working on this truck was just so funny and when he was not working on the truck he was working on other things around the farm. Ben, Kyle and I worked out and alarm system around the farm so we could hear someone come. Ben had found a huge roll of wire in the big shed. So we strung it up about three hundred feet out from the farm house and attached empty cans, along with a bell we found. We put the bell in the house and when we tested it the bell would ring if the wire was tripped or cut. Kyle had also found some traps in one of the sheds so we set them up to catch rabbits and squirrels. That way we could have fresh meat to eat. There was a small stream that ran next to the farm and there were some fish in it. So we would try fishing too. In the bigger sheds there were farm tractors and trailer but none of us knew what to do with that equipment. Chris seem to think if we stayed here long enough he could figure out how to get them running and maybe learn how to use the stuff. I knew the equipment would need fuel to run so when we went out looking to see what we could find. Ben and I would look on the other farm places for fuel and oil. Then we would try to hide what we found so no one else would take it. On one of our trips out we found a small town that had a gas station but it looked like all the fuel was gone. We didn't have time to check any of the other buildings because we were not prepared to fight anyone if we did run into anybody. On some of the other farm places we found, bags of small grain, corn, and other things. On one farm we found tomato plants still growing so dug them up and brought them back with us. When we went to dig up a spot to plant them we found a garden with potatoes, carrots and radishes. Things were beginning to look up. Out back there were even a few apple trees and plum trees in the back yard. We dug up some of the potatoes, carrots, and radishes then put them in the cellar for storage for the winter if we stayed. Dad told us when the time came that we would have to dig up all the vegetables before the frost set in so they would not rot in the ground. When we were putting our crop in the basement we found seeds for more plants. But it was too late in the year to be planting anything. I was hoping we would not be staying to long because we were still too close to the compound for my comfort and I figured they would still be looking for us. I estimated that we were not more than forty miles away from the compound and it still worried me. Ben told me not to worry but I did. We were there for almost a year and we knew too much about what went on there. So I decided to keep our packs fill with supplies and clothing in case we needed to leave the house. I had even planned a few different route we could take if we needed to leave. One night in late September while Kyle was on watch one of the alarms went off. We all scrambled to get up and Dad and Chris grabbed the bags and went to a spot we determined as a good spot to meet. While Ben, Chris and I searched the area to see what had set off the alarm. The alarm indicated that there was someone or something in the large field south of the house. As we made our way to the field Ben almost fell over what had set of the alarm. There in the field we found a small flock of sheep. Ben repaired the fence while Chris and I herded the sheep back toward the farm. Once back at the farm I sent Kyle to get dad and Chris. By the time they got back I decided I would need their help get the sheep into one of the barns that had a corral. There were ten in total and it looked like they had been running free for awhile. It was the first time I had seen dad smile for a long time it even seemed like he was having fun. Kyle and Ben went out to see if any of the other alarms needed to be reset. For the first time in a long time I was beginning to feel comfortable. Kyle finish his shift and Ben took over but no one could sleep so we sat around looking at the sheep and talked. During our talk, I began to wonder how many other farm animals were out just wondering around. Ben seemed to be thinking the same thing because he turns to me and said. "We should be looking for more animals when we are out looking for supplies." I laughed and told him I had the same idea and if Chris gets the pickup going we could use it to go from farm to farm and pick up any feed we could find. Ben agreed and so did Chris. So Chris went back to work trying to get the truck going. That day we all were tired but excited with the possibilities ahead. Just maybe we could begin a new life here on the farm. We had not seen anyone in over two months. They had to be bringing in crops at the compound so they were going to need every man and child to bring them in. So they would not be looking for us anymore well at least not till the crops were in. Ben and I decide while we were out we would look for weapons to protect the farm. We had been to eight farm site and we knew what was in the barns but had not gone into any of the houses. The reason we hadn't gone in to them is because we thought there could be a chance that there could be squatters and they could be armed. Ben and I headed over to the first place we checked out. We cautiously approached the farm house looking into every window. Then after seeing that there was no one in the house we went quietly through the back door. The furniture was all covered with plastic. We looked around and found a few things we could use over at our place. Upstairs we found some winter jackets and undergarments. So grabbed them on our way out the door, we would most likely need them when winter came. We then took a second look out in the other buildings and barns were we found hay and feed. Most of the feed was for cattle and pigs. So we hid what we could for later then went back to the house and grabbed the winter clothing. It was a good thing because two weeks later it snowed. Chris felt it was necessary to work on a few of the farm tractors going since we now had sheep. Chris and dad were in charge of taking care of them and Chris noticed how dad would get tired carrying hay bales from the hay mount. Chris finally got one of the Allis Chalmers running the tractor had a bucket on front and they began to use it to move the hay around. It was funny as hell watching Chris use the tractor at first, you have to remember Chris was only 11 years old and he was small but he finally got the hang of driving the tractor after dad helped him a few times. Two days later Chris got one of the truck going and dad was now teaching all of us how to drive. Once we go the hang of it we would take it out to retrieve supplies from the other farms. On one of the other farms we found two large underground fuel tank full of fuel. On another place we found feed for the sheep, cattle and rabbits. It seemed like every farm we went to had tons of hay in the hay mount so we would not have to cut and bale hay for at least a few years. Then one day while we were out we ran across a few cows out in a field and they had calves with them. One of the cows had a harness on its head and when we approached it came to us. Chris grabbed a rope and tied to the back of the truck. Chris drove the truck slow and the cow followed like it had done that before. When we got them back to the farm we penned them up in with the sheep. So now we had cattle and sheep to take care of. With all these animals to take care of dad was feeling better. It gave him something to do and he seems to be enjoying it. We had asked him many time if he wanted to come with when we went to search the other farm places, he always declined to come with us, everyday he seem to be getting stronger. We let him take over the house duties and the feeding of the animal so he would have something to do and dad seems to enjoy that. But we could all tell there was something still bothering him. Several time I tried to talk to him about what happened at the compound and when I did he would go into a shell. So I figured he would talk about it when the time was right. Every once in a while he would talk about going to look for his father but then he would break down then go hide in his room. Kyle took to the farm life with ease he loved working with the cattle and sheep. He found out one day that the sheep would follow him anywhere, so one day he took them out into one of the pastures and watch them graze. Ben, Chris and I drove around from farm to farm finding more animal to add to what we already had. At one place we found two horses and at another we found a goat. Then on day while we were out, a dog showed up at the farm place. We still had not found any guns but we did find plenty of ammunition. At the compound we knew they did not have any animals and if they did they kept them out of sight. We hadn't seen anyone in over three months and now that it was getting colder out so we figured we would not see anyone. Boy were we wrong. One day while we were out, we came across another small town. While investigating one of the buildings we heard a shot ring out. We had decided to parked the truck just outside of town so not to draw any attention to the it, and we knew there were not many vehicles are on the road any more. So we thought best not to bring it into town. Which may have been a mistake, because when came out of the building the shooter focused on us. Thank god the shooter was a bad shot because he missed. After dodge from building too building we made our way back to the truck. Once back at the truck we jumped in and drove away. We figured we would wait a while then come back at another time to look around. There was one building we were able to look in it appeared that there would be stuff we would be able to use on the farm. There were tools, saws, shovels, hammers, nails, nuts and bolts, potbelly stoves and other stuff in which could improve things around the farm place. We got home just as night was falling, Chris fill the truck with fuel then went to help dad and Kyle with the chores. Ben and I unloaded the grain and feed from the truck then headed into the house to eat supper. Then everyone went to bed. The dog was sitting next to me when the alarm when off in the large field. I woke Kyle before I went to investigate. Once he was awake he could wake the others if there was danger. The dog and I went to see what had triggered the alarm. As I came around the big pole barn I heard two men talking. I heard one say. "Look there are animals in the barn." "Do you think they are the people who were in town?" The other said. "Could be." the first one said. "But didn't you say they were just kids?" the second one said. "yeah." The first one said. "Ok let's just look around and see what they have then come back for it later." The second one said. Just then I heard a loud noise it almost sounded like a shot. Then I saw one of the men fall to the ground and the other had turned and was running out toward the field when I heard a second loud noise and I watch as he to fell to the ground. Dad came around the corner holding what looked like a gun. Chris followed also holding what looked like a gun. The man in the field was still alive; he was crawling away when dad took another shot from his weapon. This time the man just laid there. Chris ran up to me and asked if I was ok. I told him I was then ask him what just happened. The two of us watched as dad walked out to the field and kicked the man laying there than walk over to us. In the mean time Chris began to inform me, he was out looking in one of the shed he had found these crude weapons and when he showed them to my dad he took them and cleaned them up. He said when my dad had cleaned them up they took them out and fired them off. "I don't remember guys firing them." I said. Chris said my father and he had done that when we were out getting supplies for the farm. When my dad reached the first man that had been shot, he found him still alive. Dad rolled him over; I could see dad recognized him. Dads face fill with rage. He lifted his weapon and you could see the man's face as he recognized my dad and it began to fill with fear. Without any hesitation dad fired a second shot into the man killing him. Kyle and Ben showed up, dad turned to us and said. "Grab the truck and take these bodies and dump them as far away from here as you can." We all nodded in agreement. As my dad walked away you could hear him start to sob. Ben went to get the truck while Kyle and I went to retrieve the body from the field. There was a lot of blood so Chris started one of the tractors with a bucket and began to clean up the spot. We picked up the body and set it down next to the one next to the building and when I got a closer look at the man I recognized him as the man who was fucking my father at the compound. Now I knew where his rage had come from. From that day on my dad was a different man. Before we loaded the bodies into the truck Ben threw down some straw and hey then laid an old tarp down so not to get blood into the truck. The reason he did that was if someone came looking for the two guy there would not be any blood in the truck. Chris cleaned up the area where the bodies had been laying while we left to dump the bodies. Ben and I headed north to an old farm place where most of the structures were collapsing in on themselves but the farm house was real good shape. We also knew at on time or another there had been a shootout there. As you walked in the house you could see bullet hole all through the house. We took one body and laid it by one of the collapsed barns and the other by a tree by the house. This place was over an hour drive from where we were and we hoped if anyone came looking for the wouldn't think we had anything to do with it. When we got back to the farm place Chris had plowed the field where the bodies were. Dad was helping him hook up a disk so he could knock down the big furrows that the plow had left behind. Dad had also been out and reset the alarm. By this time the sun was coming up and we were tired. Kyle said he would take the watch so the rest of us could get some sleep. Two days later a young man came walking up the drive way. The dog barked and howled letting us know someone was coming. Dad told us to stay in the house. I recognized the guy as Dave; he was one of the guards from the compound. Dad walked out with his weapon in hand and asked the young man what he wanted? He asked if we had seen two men who were traveling through the area. Dad told him that he had not seen anyone. Dave then asked dad if he was alone. "Young man that is none of your business, I will tell you that right now. The only reason you are not dead right now is because I am in a good mood today. Seem like Boe is in a good mood to normally he don't bark he just attacks." Dad said. Just then Boe growled. Dave backed off then turns to leave. Boe followed Dave growling and barking all the way down the driveway. When dad gave the all clear we came out of the house. Dad said. "We have to be on our toes now more than ever. That young man could bring more people with him next time." We all agreed. Boe came trotting back wagging his tail. We all laughed as he plopped down next to dad. So the remainder of that day we made fortifications to the house and the barns. Dad said we should dig traps out around the perimeter of the farm place. The next day we took the tractor out and began to dig traps. Some of the traps we dug, were so deep that when someone fell in they would have a hard time getting out by them self. We then laid foliage over the top then cleaned up the ground around them so they looked like the landscape. Dad found in his weapons book a section on how to make deadly traps using sharpened sticks along with using young trees as snares. It was kind of fun setting all the traps up. We mapped of where everything was so when we went out to check them we would not be hurt by them. It was quiet and we didn't see anyone for weeks since the young man showed up and now it was starting to getting colder. It felt like it was going to snow. Ben and I made two more trips out to the other farms. We picked up more fuel and wood for wood stoves. Chris was teaching Kyle how to fix the tractors, he also showed my dad a few things too. When Ben and I retured to the farm we could see that there were tracks out in the field it looked like someone had been chasing down something. Kyle ran out from the house. He had his weapon in his hands and he was looking around as he ran to our truck. He was out of breath when he reached the truck. I asked him what happened? Kyle told us that three men had come up to the farm and at first they just talk to my dad. Kyle said he did not hear what they were talking about but then one of the men pulled out a gun pointed it at dad and shot. Kyle said he ran to the house and grabbed one of the guns. By the time he got back to the barn Chris had ran over two of the men with the tractor and was chasing the third man in the field. Kyle said he shot the man and Chris finished him of by running him over. I asked how my dad was and Kyle said it didn't look good. Kyle said Chris helped him carry my father into the house. Once inside two more men attacked the house. Chris snuck out the back and made his way out to the barn grabbed the gun that was hidden in there and headed outside to find where the men had been shooting from. I got out of the truck and ran to the house Ben followed. Kyle kept talking while I looked at my dad. He had a just a small hole in his chest but when I rolled him on his side the hole was huge in his back. When I rolled him on back over he looked up at me and said. "You take care of these boys they need you son." Then he closed his eyes and passed away. I don't remember much after that. I know I broke down and cried. I know Ben sat with his arms around me rocking me back and forth. I had fleeting glimpse of Chris and Kyle crying. I remember hearing shots ringing out and the other guys running about. I remember Ben putting a blanket over me and telling me everything would be ok. Then darkness. Nifty is kind enough to post these stories for you to read so in return please donate to this fine cause @ http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html thanks again for reading all remarks are appreciated.