Nathan Jones - First Winter

Alvin Harding: Tom’s 16 year old son. A member of the shelter group with a knack for bad puns.

Jack Dawson: In his 70s, owned a lot of land southwest of Aspen Hill before the Gulf burned. Keeps chickens and other fowl, gifted a laying hen to Matt’s family and later sold them more chickens.

Benjamin Thompson: Goes by Ben. Leader of the refugees who joined Aspen Hill the fall after the Gulf refineries attack. Has two grandkids: Eve (14) and Harry (13).

Debra Rutledge: Goes by Deb. Medium height, brown hair, dark green eyes flecked with brown, 24 years old. Formerly worked at the Newtown General Store, but fled south when Fred Vernon betrayed the town. Captured by blockheads in the southern states and taken to Utah, where she’s rescued by Trev. Joins the fight against the blockheads, then later accepts Trev’s invitation to live in Aspen Hill. With Trev’s help is struggling to get over her traumatic experiences as a prisoner.

Grant Albertson: One of the freed prisoners who joins Trev’s squad at the same time Deb does, and accepts an invitation to live in Aspen Hill.

Brandon Shanks: One of the freed prisoners who volunteered as part of Gutierrez’s squad in the fight against the blockheads, and afterwards accepts an invitation to live in Aspen Hill. A good friend to Gutierrez.

Trent Lincoln: A new resident of Aspen Hill. 24 years old. Originally met Trev on the road to Michigan, then later as a volunteer along Highway 31. Starts out as part of Vernon’s group in the fight against the blockheads, but moves over to Trev’s squad after Tom Harding’s death. Accepts Trev’s invitation to join the town after the blockheads leave.

Madison Lincoln: Goes by Maddie. Trent’s mother.

Thomas Lincoln: Trent’s father.

Carol Clarkson: An energetic woman in her 30s who for months now has been supervising the labor of the women in need for Aspen Hill, giving them an opportunity to work for food from the town’s stores.

Carrie Grant. One of the wounded veterans Aspen Hill takes in. Light brown hair, brown eyes, 19 years old. Blinded in one eye by shrapnel with that side of her face heavily scarred.

Derek Withers. One of the wounded veterans Aspen Hill takes in. In his mid 20s, lost his right leg at the hip.

Robert Paulson: Carpenter. Tall, brown hair, green eyes. One of the refugees the town recruits for his knowledge and skills.

Garret Langstrom: Trauma surgeon. Married with a young son named Bryce. One of the refugees the town recruits for his knowledge and skills.

Bernice Langstrom: Garret’s wife. One of the refugees the town recruits for her knowledge and skills.

Hailey Nelson: Medium height, 22, brown hair, dark eyes. Raised in a family that kept goats and made animal products. One of the refugees the town recruited for her knowledge and skills.

Margaret Johnson: Prefers her patients to call her Dr. Maggy. OB/GYN. In her late 40s. One of the refugees the town recruits for her knowledge and skills.

The military:

General Erikson: Originally in charge of holding the Colorado Rockies based in Denver, was in charge of US forces in northern Utah during the fight against the blockheads. Currently leading the fight against the enemy on the Great Plains.

General Lassiter: Originally in charge of holding the Utah Rockies based in Salt Lake City, led the US forces guarding southern Utah, especially along I-70, during the fight against the blockheads. Currently leading the fight against the enemy east of the Mississippi river.

Colonel Jonathan Grimes: Guarded the area along Highway 6 under the command of General Erikson during the fight against the Gold Bloc. Currently assigned to manage the territory around the Utah Rockies and care for the refugees, while his superiors pursue the blockheads with the intent of driving them entirely out of US territory.

Major Kyle Rogers, USAF: Coordinator of the refugee camp west of new Aspen Hill.

Lieutenant Dell Faraday: Serves under Colonel Grimes. Blond and green eyed. A friend to Aspen Hill who is currently assigned somewhere to the east fighting the blockheads. Finds and aids Pete Childress and offers to let him enlist.

Sergeant Ethan Davis: Medium height and solidly built, brown hair, brown eyes, slightly tanned skin, in his 30s. Picked up Trev’s family on the way home from Newtown after Vernon steals their truck. Led the Aspen Hill volunteers along Highway 31 during the fight against the blockheads. Currently fighting the enemy somewhere to the east.

Corporal Bryant: A soldier who fought south of the Aspen Hill volunteers along Highway 31, currently serving in a refugee camp farther south and west.

Fred Vernon: Former Sheriff of Newtown. After betraying his town’s trust he winds up in the Rocky Mountains volunteering in the fight against the Gold Bloc. Once the fight is won and the blockheads retreat he and his men join the military on a more formal basis and accompany them in pursuit of the enemy.

Copyright © 2017 Nathan Jones

All rights reserved.

The events depicted in this novel are fictional. The characters in this story are also fictional, and any resemblance to anyone living or dead is entirely unintentional. While most locations are real some creative license has been taken in describing them, and a few locations are entirely fictional.