Chapter 13

I moved to the windows and drew the curtains closed to the front. We could see out but it would be almost impossible to see inside unless you pressed your face against the glass. As I did that, Misty and Sharon were turning off all lights and anything that made noise including the heat.

Once we were ready, we looked out to find out what we heard. The motor noises were from two big SUV’s that had been modified to be raised and with big tires. Obviously, some part of those modifications had also included removing the mufflers. They stopped at our gate. I had padlocked it with a chain as if done when leaving. They looked at that for a moment. Most of them spread out from their vehicles but two returned to the SUV’s. They simply drove through the gate with those big vehicles. The house was locked and we left out the back at a run leaving no trace of our departure pursuant to our plan.

While Misty and Sharon went further in, I lay down in a previously picked spot to watch. There were eight men in the group. It took only a moment for my wife and daughter to notice my absence and crawl up behind me.

Misty said, “Taylor, we will spread out toward the barn and be ready. I think we can take them. I don’t want to lose our home without trying to stop an invasion.” I watched as they skittered off to take positions.

The men were approaching the house casually. I wouldn’t lead a group that way but I was all for poor tactics on the part of those opposed to me and mine.

I took aim on one in the middle and shot him in the arm. I would give them a chance before killing anyone. Also, two guys were needed to help the wounded man moving the odds in our favor. They bunched up but left one to help the wounded man. They didn’t stop moving toward the house.

I shot another wounding him also but in his lower leg. In addition to helping him, there were shots directed at the house as well as into the woods. I thought about my spot and knew there wasn’t one close that offered me the sight advantages and cover of this one.

I waited. They came toward the house. When one stepped on the steps to the porch, I shot to kill and took that man down. They figured out that the shots weren’t coming from the house and fired into the woods though their shots indicated that they didn’t know where in the woods we were. I gave it a moment and killed another targeting one who seemed to be in charge.

I picked out the next man taking charge and narrowly missed him. Two others fell when Misty and Sharon fired their rifles. That left two unwounded and three who we had wounded. No one had said anything. The two unwounded raised their hands. I shot one since he was still holding his rifle at ready just over his head. The other turned and died thanks to Misty or Sharon. The three wounded were sitting or lying on the ground. I rose and slowly made my way toward them noticing the dead as I went. They were all middle-aged men who were rough looking and it looked like that style was long-term rather than a recent change on their part.

Two of the wounded had arm wounds. The other had a leg wound and was bleeding out. His fellows had made no attempt to stop the bleeding and it was now too late. It may have always been. I went up to one of the surviving wounded. “Where did you idiots come from?”

He looked up sullenly. He said nothing. After a moment, I put a bullet in his chest. Now, he would never talk.

I looked over at the last remaining invader. “Do you want to answer my question?”

He nodded. “We’re from Marietta. We got pushed out by a gang of police and army. We were looking for a place of our own. Then, you shot us.”

“That’s what happens when you invade the property of another. It was a fatal mistake for most of your gang.” At that moment, he resolved any question about what to do with him by using his good arm to go for a pistol. I was out of the line of fire and Misty shot him dead. She and Sharon walked up to me and I held them as we all had the shakes.

We calmed down and I said, “Other than cleaning up the mess, what should we do?”

Sharon asked, “What do you mean, Dad?”

“Obviously, the chain didn’t work and there have been no trespassing signs up for years. We have just fought off a gang. I don’t think we were specifically the target but we need to be careful. Why don’t you two go inside and make a hot drink while I pull the bodies to the SUV’s.”

Sharon asked, “What?”

“We need to bury or at least move them out of here and do something about the gate.” Misty was walking around the house to go inside. “Go with Misty.” Sharon nodded slowly and left. I started dragging bodies to the SUV’s. Looking inside one, I saw jewelry and electronics in the back. I felt that this wasn’t the first raid for this group. I wondered who else might have been victimized.

I finished loading the bodies into the SUV’s and went inside. It was cold out but the work of dragging those men heated me up. Once inside, there was coffee waiting. I held the mug to warm my hands which were cold even through my gloves as my face warmed in the air.

Misty said, “I guess we need to take their SUV’s somewhere and put the gate back up.”

“Yes, dear. On top of that, I’m concerned about where else they might have raided. There was jewelry and electronics in those SUV’s.” I paused for a moment. “There are some friends who might benefit from our place and may need some help. I want to get rid of the raiders but also take my truck and check a few people out. We haven’t left here in almost two weeks. We’ve missed church. We don’t know what’s going on locally.”

Misty looked thoughtful. “Katie and Bob would be good people to have here if they can and will join us.”

I nodded. “The Miller’s would be good folk to have here, too.” Sharon nodded.

We left in three vehicles initially. I wanted to get the dead bodies away from the house. Misty and I drove the SUV’s almost a mile to an intersection and parked them at a burned-out convenience store’s parking lot. We had used gloves the entire time though I didn’t think the police were going to be dusting raider’s vehicles for fingerprints.