Tony Littlejohns - The Hoffmann Plague

The army is finished, really, and there’s certainly no future in it for anyone. I mean, it was a career for most people and a way of life. There’s no hierarchy or infrastructure left and no one’s been in charge overall since the plague happened. What was left of companies like ours have been operating pretty much autonomously since then, making their own decisions and just doing what they could to help people and what they thought was right; sometimes under the command of Majors like Miller and myself, but often under lower-ranking officers, or even NCOs. Once the fuel is gone or becomes unusable we’ll have no generators, and therefore no communications or other equipment. As equipment breaks down we haven’t the spares or the personnel to fix it, and no chance of being re-supplied. An army can’t function without re-supply of essentials like water, food, fuel and spares, whether it’s performing an offensive or a humanitarian role.’

Tom paused and sighed. He took off his glasses and wiped them on his shirt before putting them back on. ‘All the troops and personnel have done fantastic work since the plague. We couldn’t have asked more of them, but we all knew there was no future for us, long-term.’

He gave a wry laugh. ‘Possibly for the first time in military history we had a democratic vote about what to do! Usually, soldiers are given orders and they just follow them, but these are dire circumstances that have never happened before. People voted overwhelmingly for us to disband, so that’s what we’re doing. Everyone wants a chance to start a new life. I daresay most of them will team up to form groups and find places to live together; camaraderie has always been a big part of army life. Some are talking about going back to live at the barracks in Kent. Ultimately, though, it all comes down to food; everyone is going to have to start growing things, or they won’t survive.

Karen and I have no family left since the plague and our home has been the army for many years, serving either here or abroad. My immediate family were all up in the Midlands and Karen’s were in Cumbria. We both had large savings in the bank to buy a property in later years, but that’s irrelevant now. We want to settle in this area and we’d like to be fairly close to you folks, if possible. I liked you two from the outset, when I came to your place to examine Megan. You’ve got guts and determination and you seem to have your heads screwed on right. We both did basic survival courses, but that was many years ago and neither of us really know anything about growing food, farming or trapping, so we were hoping to learn from you folks if you’d be willing. We wondered if you knew of any properties that might be suitable nearby that we could take over?’

‘Well, there’s the Simpson’s place, isn’t there, Bill?’ said Emma.

‘Yes, that would be probably the most suitable place around here that’s close to us. It’s about half a mile away, on the edge of the village. It’s a decent house with a good plot of land and it backs onto fields. It’s got a couple of out-buildings, a covered storage area out back that’s useful and it has log-burners and open fires for heating and cooking. Water will be your main problem. There may be water butts that collect run-off from the roof; I can’t remember. If not, you’ll have to install some. Other than that there are a few lakes within half a mile. The other option would be to dig a well, which would be difficult but not impossible. The Simpsons died in there, so you’d have to clear their remains and clean the place, but I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem for you.’

‘And we’d be more than willing to help you out with things,’ said Jamie, and Jane agreed. ‘I mean, it’s not like we’re experts, or anything,’ he added, ‘but we’ve done okay so far, for the most part. Bill and Emma have far more knowledge and experience in self-sufficiency and farming than we do.’

Karen and Tom thanked them and said how grateful they were. Emma asked Jane to help her and they served slices of cake and pie for everyone to have with their drinks.

‘You’re welcome to stay here for a few days when the time comes,’ said Bill, ‘until you can move into the place, if you think it’s suitable.’

‘That’s very good of you, Bill, thank you,’ said Karen. ‘We’ve got a tent we can pitch in a field somewhere.’

‘Nonsense!’ said Emma. ‘You’ll stay here in the house. We’ve got a spare bedroom you can use. It’s the least we can do after what you did for our Megan.’

She put her arm around Megan, who looked up at her and smiled. Karen and Tom were moved by their hospitality and thanked them again.

‘By the way,’ said Jane, ‘we met the Turners after they left the camp and came to Bexhill last month, and they passed on your message, thank you. We went round to see them a couple of weeks ago and they’re getting organised. I think they’ll do okay.’ Tom said he was pleased to hear it.

After they’d finished their drinks and cake Tom said they’d better be getting back to the camp as there was much to do. Bill asked if they wanted to see the Simpson’s house before they went.

‘No, that’s okay thanks, Bill,’ said Tom. ‘We’ll take your word for it and I’m sure it will be okay. We’ll have a look in a couple of weeks when we leave the camp and come here.’

They all went outside to see the visitors off. Everyone shook hands and Tom and Karen thanked them again. Just before driving off Tom said ‘It’s funny, you know; over the last eighteen years I’ve served in many war-zones around the world, and I never had to worry about where my next meal was coming from. But now…?’ He smiled and drove off, waving.

They went back into the house and chatted for a while about the implications of the camp closing and of Tom and Karen coming to live nearby.

‘Well it will certainly be handy having a doctor and a nurse in the neighbourhood, especially with your impending birth’ said Bill.

‘Yes it will,’ said Jane, ‘but I’m not sure how much they’ll be able to do in the future without drugs and medical supplies, apart from diagnosing or advising on the treatment of some injuries and suchlike. I wonder if, when they come here, we should visit all the pharmacies in the area, and maybe the hospital, to see what we can find. Tom and Karen will be able to determine which things might still be usable for another year or more.’

‘Good idea,’ said Emma. ‘It’s also possible, though, that with most of the population gone a lot of common ailments like colds, coughs and other viruses will stop because there aren’t the people to breed the germs and pass them around.’

‘That’s a good point, Emma, and quite possible,’ said Jamie.

‘I think it will pay us to get to know Matt and Zoe much better,’ said Jane. ‘I mean, I’d like to anyway as they’re a nice couple, but Zoe’s a herbalist and we’re going to need to know about such things in years to come. Humans all around the world have been using medicinal herbs and plants to treat common ailments and illnesses for thousands of years.’

‘That’s true,’ said Bill. ‘Why don’t you go to see them and invite them here for a meal one day soon? I’d like to meet them and I’m sure there will be skills and knowledge we can share in the future that will benefit all of us.’ Jamie said they would do that.

‘Maybe in the spring or summer, when everything’s growing, she can come out with us to help identify herbs and plants in the area that will be useful,’ said Jane. ‘We can harvest them when they’re ready and take them to her for turning into remedies or tinctures, or whatever it is she does with them, and in time maybe we can learn to make our own as well.’