Франк Бейтс - Calls to Arms - A Story of the Imminent Collapse

“Men! Position, and fire!” Captain Ellis commanded his troops.

Everyone fired and in one blink of the eye the Marauders died. Joseph ran inside the house, but he saw one of the Marauders was still alive talking to his walkie-talkie.

“Men down. Need back up. Over.” The intruder said. Joseph stepped on the walkie-talkie and crashed it.

“Yea, you’re down. Not my family, bitch.” Joseph said and pulled a trigger on the intruder’s head.

Carmichael family looked at the window to check who helped them. They were all looking at the front yard, where Army troops were standing, and some people from Southcrest Village. Maxine noticed some of them, and she was looking for Joseph. She didn’t see that Joseph was standing on the door.

“Max,” Maxine looked at Joseph, smiled and hugged her husband.

“Dad!” Joseph two sons were running after Maxine.

They all hugged one another while Grandma Carmichael, Rashida and some of the Army felt the moment and shared the same tears.

The Carmichael Farmhouse got slightly destroyed. There were bullets and dead bodies everywhere, but they are thankful that none of them shred blood. Joseph had to cut their small family reunion to call his friends and the Army inside the farm.

“Dad, Mom, and Tony. I have people with me. Most of them lost their families and friends. They are from our neighborhood at Southcrest. I hope they can stay here, too.” Joseph explained to Maxine’s family.

“Of course, Joseph. Everyone is welcome here for as long as they meant no harm.” Tony responded. Grandpa looked at Tony and smiled.

“By the way, where did you get your Army?” Grandpa Carmichael asked.

“Colonel Eaton sent an Army troop to protect us. He summoned them back for service.” Joseph responded as Grandpa Carmichael raised his eyebrow.

“Martial Law. Do they know your profession?” Tony replied.

“No. We’re still keeping it as a secret,” Joseph stated.

“Why don’t you call your friends, and let’s all prepare for dinner. It was a tiring day.” Grandma Carmichael said, and everyone inside the house laughed.

Joseph fetched his group outside together with his family. No one wanted to get Joseph out of their site.

“Come on. Let’s all go inside.” Joseph announced as they all gathered their supplies in the vehicles.

After the shooting incident, the Army helped in getting rid of the dead bodies. They wanted to burn the Marauders bodies, but Joseph insisted that they should bury them. While the Army was busy burying on a nearby empty lot, Captain Ellis went back to the farm to drink a glass of water. As he entered the living room, he saw Joseph and Walter attending to the wounded farm caretakers in the living area. The Captain got curious by the manner how Joseph and Walter put in first aid professionally.

“Are you doctors?” Captain Ellis boldly asked as he was approaching them from behind, then Joseph and Walter looked at one another.

“Why? What do you do? Report us back on duty?” Walter faced Captain Ellis.

“Captain, I know you understand. We’ve been through hell, and we need to look after our families.” Joseph tried to convince Captain Ellis who’s now holding his radio.

“So are we,” Captain Ellis responded as he pulled his radio, and Walter pulled a gun on Captain’s head.

“Walter! We don’t want any more war. We’ve lost a lot of blood, and we don’t want to risk our family’s lives.” Joseph looked at Walter as he hindered him from pulling the trigger. Walter put down the gun.

“Captain, I’m begging you. Just give us some time to be with them. Please.” Joseph looked straight into Captain’s eyes and begged.

“Does Colonel Eaton knows?” Captain Ellis asked, and Joseph nodded.

“When I was new to the Army, he imparted so many values to us. He even saved my life twice. I trust his judgments, and I’m gonna give this to him.” Captain Ellis drew back his radio and headed to the kitchen.

All of them introduced from one another as they gathered inside Carmichael’s house waiting for dinner. Rashida and other women from Southcrest Village helped one another at the kitchen. The kids from Southcrest Village got along with the children on the farm. Grandma Carmichael helped Walter assist Victoria to one of the rooms upstairs.

Denise also had the chance to meet Bobby and his brother. Joseph explained to Maxine what happened to her since he met her at the hospital. They gladly accepted Joseph’s idea to adopt Denise, and their sons were happy to have their instant little sister. They would fix the adopting papers soon as the chaos has ended. Joseph told Denise that she can now treat them as her real family. Denise was glad to hear the news, only that all she can do was to smile and hug them because she’s still in trauma with what happened at the hospital and on their way to the farm.

Tony, Captain Ellis, and Grandpa Carmichael were talking to one another about what they should next. They knew that there are more of the Marauders surrounding the town. Joseph inserted himself into the conversation soon after they had another short catch-up with his family.

“We should plan for our security. For sure, the intruders are doing the same.” Tony stated.

“They might be doing the same, so we have to plan faster. That’s what happened to us back in the hospital.” Joseph replied, and he told everything that happened in Southcrest.

“Good thing we can use the Army’s help to fight them.” Grandpa Carmichael answered.

“We are happy to help. By the way, my men searched their truck, and we found weapons that we can add to our arsenal. Do you have a place that we can hide those in the meantime?” Captain Ellis asked Grandpa Carmichael.

“We can put those in the barn.” Grandpa Carmichael replied.

Grandpa Carmichael, Tony, and Joseph put the guns inside the wooden chest while Captain Ellis was surveying the barn. He walked around and opened one of the oak cabinets then he saw an Army badge and patch with ‘Carmichael’ engraved on it.

“Whose Army in your family?” Captain Ellis asked innocently.

“Tell me your secrets, so I’ll know how to protect you.” Captain Ellis added as Joseph, Tony and Grandpa Carmichael looked at one another.

“I am.” Grandpa Carmichael surrendered.

“I won’t summon you if you don’t want. If Colonel Eaton wants us to protect you, then we will.” Captain Ellis answered.

Joseph wasn’t sure if he can already trust Captain Ellis, but he still expressed his gratefulness towards him. Captain Ellis, on the other hand, apologized for what happened earlier. He realized that their farm is a safe place, especially for the children. If Joseph and others would be summoned back for service, then security would be a problem.

“I think dinner is ready.” Tony tried to change the subject.

Later that evening, everyone decided to divide the workforce in the farm and repair the house. Grandma Carmichael, Rashida, Victoria, Maxene and two women from Southcrest will do the house chores. Grandpa Carmichael, Tony, and Joseph are responsible for feeding the animals. Three men from Southcrest, The nurse, and two farm caretakers will take care of the farm plants. The eight-man Army and Captain Ellis will help in repairing the house while providing security to the perimeter. The Army also asked if they could have a place on the farm to train themselves and other men to help them be ready just in case the Marauders come back with more troops. Grandpa Carmichael wasn’t sure if it was a good idea neither Joseph does. However, Tony and Walter said that it’s better if each man on the farm can help in defending.

They had a lengthy discussion about training men of the farm. Later on, Joseph realized that they need men who can fire a gun. However, Grandpa Carmichael insisted that the kids shouldn’t be involved in the training. Captain Ellis promised that they wouldn’t allow children on their training ground. It would be the basics of self-defense and responsible way of holding a gun. They were about to finish the conversation when Bobby raised his hand.