Assault on the Homestead

Vanessa's screams broke the silence of the early afternoon. Desperately, she hit and kicked at the two men, as they drug her toward the house. Almost carrying her by the arms, they pulled her up the steps. Her friend Jessica, had already run inside in a futile attempt to escape them. Vanessa looked quickly toward the wooded ridge behind her home. Would her husband see what was happening? Would he be able to help them? She could only hope.

"America! Land of the free and the home of the brave." Yes, there are still plenty of brave Americans. Home of the free? During the past few years, I had started to wonder. I had seen our basic freedoms eroding away. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which have been the basis for protecting the freedom of every American for over two hundred years, were either being ignored, twisted, or just plain taken away.

Civil unrest became much more frequent as the public expressed their displeasure with perceived injustice and the way the country was being governed. Our economy had also been faltering. How could any country remain viable if they are trillions of dollars in debt? Major problems had been developing in America.

My wife, Vanessa, shared my growing concern. It seemed to us that, even though we did not depend on the government for support, we needed to become completely self-sufficient. We also needed to move away from areas with a large population. We were worried that rioting and looting would spread to suburban areas.

I had grown up on a small farm in Alabama. As a result, of our concerns and my youthful farming experience, we sold our home in the suburbs and moved to a small farm in a rural area of the Ozarks. It is far removed from big cities and the masses that live off the government. Here we have a large garden, a few cows and pigs as well as chickens. I raise a few acres of corn and hay to provide feed for the livestock through the winter. We are our own little island in the midst of a country that was coming apart.

Unfortunately, our fears were well founded. A year ago, the country crumbled around us. Other countries, especially China, demanded that the United States pay its debts. The fragile structure supporting our economy collapsed. The run on Wall Street was worse than the one that caused the Great Depression. Almost overnight, stocks fell until they had no value, companies failed and unemployment was over thirty percent. The American dollar lost value until it was basically worthless.

Riots broke out in all of the major cities as panic took over. Civil unrest spread all over the country as cities were ravaged and burned. Stores were quickly plundered and basic food items and supplies disappeared. Rape, murder and arson became common place as moral and societal restraints continued to break down. The police tried to restore order, but were soon over run. Governors mobilized the National Guard, but not soon enough. Mobs became well armed as they looted sporting goods stores, police weapons lockers and National Guard armories. They obtained plenty of equipment, ammo and automatic weapons. The police and Guard were forced to withdraw to outlying areas of the cities.

President Obama declared Martial Law, but the whole country seemed to be rising up in defiance against the government. The Army tried to restore order but was crippled by desertions, lack of supplies and poor leadership. As the riots occurred all over the country, the military was spread too thin. They could not control the growing mobs and were forced to withdraw from the cities and reform on military bases. As the military regrouped, gangs strengthened their organization and consolidated their holds in major cities.

When China did not receive full payment on their loans, they demanded American property and assets. Of course, our government refused. Seeing its chance, China invaded California and Washington State. Even though our military had been weakened by recent events, they rallied to fight the attacking troops. Over the course of a few months, the war raged between the two opposing forces. Eventually, our military managed to stop the advance of the invasion. However, the Chinese now controlled our whole west coast as well as parts of Arizona.

While the military was occupied with the Chinese invasion, gangs became better organized in the cities. Two thirds of the country was now without civil control and was under feudal law. Common services (electricity, gasoline, groceries, natural gas, clean water, fire and police departments) were no longer available.

While Feudal Rule controls the cities and urban areas, the trading of goods and services became the basis for a new economy in rural areas. Farming had become the most beneficial form of support and survival.

TV news programs had shown the beginning of the collapse of American society. A few days after the Chinese invaded, the television networks went off the air. Radio news continued for a few weeks, but then it too went silent. Most of the cities and urban areas were divided up into small feudal states controlled by warlords and their gangs of armed thugs. Small unorganized gangs roamed the countryside, murdering people and taking what they wanted. Most of rural America was on its own.

**********

Walking out on the porch, I looked across my small domain. A gentle, creeping gauze of yellow and orange had laid itself across the trees, which are still mostly green. A confetti of leaves bedecks the ground, as though celebrating the joining of seasons. The intertwining scents of flowers, still blooming furiously, spill their perfume into an air which is tangy with wood smoke. Autumn seems to have arrived.

The morning was clear and beautiful. The blue sky, sunshine and brisk temperatures were invigorating. The dew was glistening on the grass like tiny jewels as my dog, Dakota, my German Shepherd, came running up to greet me. I rubbed her behind the ears as we both enjoyed the morning.

Vanessa came out the front door and walked up beside me. I encircled her waist with my arm as she lay her head against me. To me, she is the most beautiful woman on Earth. At 32, she still has the tight slim body of the college cheerleader I married. Her long blonde hair tumbled down her back as the morning sun sparkled in the red highlights. Her blue eyes looked up at me with love. Leaning down, I kissed her soft pink lips. I love her so much that, sometimes it hurts.

"What are your plans for today?" I caressed her hip that was pressed so warm against me.

"Jessica is coming over. We are going to work on the decorations. You know it's only two weeks before her wedding. We still have a lot to do."

Jessica is our neighbor's daughter. At 19, she is almost as beautiful as my Vanessa. A slim 5'2 and 115lbs, she has been the object of many a man's wet dreams. Her ebony hair is cut stylishly short, framing her face and stopping just below her ears. Sparkling green eyes always looked at the world with strength and determination. Vanessa was helping Jessica prepare for her wedding, so she had been coming over pretty often.

Looking down into my wife's eyes, I kissed her again, but this time, I slipped my tongue between her lips. As her tongue met mine, I pulled her body tight against me. I slid my hands down to her tight ass and pulled her against my growing erection.

With a gasp, Vanessa pulled slightly back from my embrace. As she stood there, encircled in my arms, she giggled. "Down, boy, down. Save it for tonight. Jessica will be here any minute."

Reluctantly, I let her slip from my embrace. As she turned to walk away, I slapped her on the ass of her tight jeans. "I am going to be expecting some hot loving tonight!" Looking back at me, she blew me a kiss as she walked into the house.

The slam of the front door and the loud clump of boots announced the arrival of our three year old daughter, Ashley. Blonde curls bouncing, she leapt into my arms and gave me a big kiss. "Can I help you today Daddy?"

Smiling and giving her a big hug, I responded, "Come on out to the barn. I can always use help from a good worker like you."

Once I had finished my morning chores, I was going hunting on the ridge behind the house. I had spotted a nice buck several times in the back field. Yesterday, I had found a nice scrape line up near the top of the ridge. Vanessa was a wizard in the kitchen. She knew exactly how to cook venison to make it tender and flavorful. I hoped to have some fresh back strap for supper tonight.

Ashley raced ahead of me as I walked back to the house. I was already wearing my camo as I went inside and got my gear. I picked up my 308 Remington and leaned it next to the door. Putting a handful of shells in my jacket pocket and hanging my binoculars around my neck, I was ready to go.

Ashley had run to her room on some special mission that was only apparent to her. Entering the kitchen, I walked up behind Vanessa and slid my arms around her waist. Gently nuzzling her neck, I moved my hands up across her belly and closed them over her firm breasts. Even though they were D cups, they were still firm and stood proudly out from her chest. I could feel her nipples hardening as I pulled on them. Tilting her head slightly, she allowed my lips free access to the sensitive side of her neck. Pressing her ass back against me, she massaged my hard cock with her cheeks for a moment.

As if on cue, we heard Jessica's truck pulling up in front of the house. With a deep sigh, Vanessa turned to face me. "This will be continued tonight!"

As I released her from my arms, she strode to the front door. Jessica came in the door with a huge grin for both of us. Giving my wife a big hug, she bounced over to me and kissed my cheek. "Good morning Mike! Isn't it a beautiful day?"

Smiling at her exuberance, I picked up my rifle. "You two have a great day. I will be back in a few hours."

Ashley came rushing back into the room. She had put on her little camo jacket and was carrying her knit cap. "Hi Jessica!" she squealed as she ran over and grabbed my hand. "Come on Daddy. Let's go."

Knelling down in front of her, I looked into her eager eyes. "Baby, you can't go with me today. I am going way up on the ridge and will be gone most of the day."

I saw the stubborn look come over her face as she prepared to argue the point. Just then, Vanessa interrupted. "Ashley, we need your help today. After all, you are going to be the flower girl in Jessica's wedding."

Ashley looked at Jessica, who smiled and nodded at my baby girl. "Okay. I will stay and help."

Hugging her to me, I promised, "You can go fishing with me down at the creek tomorrow."

With the quick mental change so common in three year olds, she whirled and ran back toward her room. "Okay Daddy! Have fun today!"

Kissing Vanessa, I walked out the door and started toward my back hay field. Dakota bounded past me headed toward the woods, fifty yards behind the house. Calling her back, I knelt down and rubbed her neck. "You had better stay here. I don't need you up there scaring the deer away." As I walked on toward the woods, Dakota stared after me with a sad look. Slowly, with a drooping tail, she turned and walked back to the house.

As I entered the trees, I took a deep breath of the fresh clean air. The woods had always been a special place for me. The forest gleamed with a brightness that you only get at this time of the year. A rainbow of oranges, yellows and reds interspersed with the last greens of summer, formed a shimmering canopy over my head. Golden light, which seems only to happen in autumn, dripped through the branches of the trees like syrup, and tangled itself with sparkling dust-motes on its way to the dappled floor.

As I move quietly up the ridge, a light breeze is filling the air with leaves that whirl and race across the ground like living things. I hear a rustling sound and see squirrels scampering through the leaves, busily collecting food for the winter months ahead.

As I near the top of the ridge, I remove my jacket. The day has warmed into the lower fifties and promises to get even warmer. I pause for a moment to soak in this wonderful day. For a moment, I thought the breeze had brought an unexpected sound; the thump of a shotgun. I turn my head and listen intently.

I hear another sound that chills my blood. Racing through the woods, I reach a spot where I can see my home. Now, I can clearly hear my wife's screams cutting through the distance between us. Looking down at my home, I see two SUVs parked near the front porch.

My chest clinches with fear as I study the scene below. My binoculars brings everything up close. My wife is struggling as two men drag her toward the house. A third man is holding Ashley in his arms. Jessica is running toward the front door with another man following close behind her.

When they reach the steps, Vanessa breaks free. As she turns to run, one of the men grabs her hair and jerks her backward. As she falls to the ground, he twists her face toward his. Looming over her, he makes violent intimidating gestures. Even from the top of the ridge, I can tell he is threatening her. Yanking her to her feet, he shoves her across the porch and into the house.

I must save my wife and daughter. A thousand wild ideas rush through my mind as I race through the trees, moving down the ridge toward my home. As I reach the edge of the woods, I slow down and stop. I am making foolish mistakes. I must calm down and think. Rushing out into the open would not help my family. It would only get me killed.

Slipping out of my blaze orange vest, I move slowly to the edge of the trees. Fifty yards away, I can see a man on the porch. He has blonde hair, is medium height and slightly overweight. He has an assault rifle cradled in his arms as he paces the porch and intently looks around. He is obviously standing guard. There is no sign of Vanessa, Ashley, Jessica or the other men.

I move further back until the trees totally shield me from the house. Before I can save them, I need to know exactly what I am up against. I am wearing camo hunting clothes, but my hands and face will shine. Knowing there is a small spring in the trees, behind the barn, I move quietly through the brush. Reaching the spring, my hand scrapes the moist dirt as I scoop mud from the edge and smear it on my face and hands, darkening them to make me less visible.

Moving back to the edge of the field, I watch and listen intently for a moment. With the barn between me and the house, I leave the trees and race across the open grass. As my heart pounds in my throat, I wait for the crack of a gunshot. Finally, reaching cover, I flatten myself against the back of the barn. My heart is pounding as I wait and listen for shouts of alarm. Not hearing anything, I enter the barn through a window. The familiar interior is full of shadows as I creep to the front door. Slowly opening it a crack, I study the yard and the back of the house.

I see Dakota lying dead in the front yard. She was the reason for the shotgun blast that had first alerted me that something was wrong. She had been killed for trying to defend the women. Scanning the rest of the yard, I don't see anything but the two SUVs and Jessica's pickup.

Returning to the back of the barn, I go to a corner and remove some feed sacks. At the bottom of the stack, there is a vacuum sealed plastic bag. Unzipping the bag, I remove a Mossberg 500, three inch magnum, twelve gauge shotgun. It is configured with an extended tube magazine, ghost ring and pistol grip. It is much more effective than the rifle at close range. I also pull out a six inch sheathed boot knife and a bandolier with fifty rounds of magnum buckshot. I tuck the knife into my boot, fill the shotgun's magazine, rack a round and then insert another shell. Dropping the bandolier over my shoulder and hiding my rifle beneath the bags, I go back to the barn door.

Without thinking things through, I could get myself and both women and my daughter killed. I needed to know exactly what I was going up against so I could develop a plan. I had seen four men, but I was not sure if there were more. I also needed to know where the women were located and what intentions the men had. I needed to see what was going on.

I could see the end of the porch from the barn. I watched as the lookout came into sight. He walked to the edge of the porch and lit a cigarette. His right arm was wrapped in a fresh bandage just below the elbow. It looked like Dakota had managed to cause some damage. He glanced toward the barn and scanned the yard. I was not too concerned about being detected. I knew he could not see into the barn. Turning, he walked back out of sight.

Moving quickly, I crossed the yard and knelt against the side of the house. I could hear voices from inside, but could not understand them. Alert to every snapping twig or crunching rock, I crept silently along the base of the house wall. Luckily, that morning, Vanessa had opened some windows to let in fresh air. I paused beneath the open living room window. I could clearly hear the men as they laughed and talked. None of the voices were particularly loud, so I knew none of them were near me. Cautiously, I peeked around the edge of the window.

I could see three men. Two were seated at the table. The third, a huge black man, leaned against the kitchen cabinets. He was at least six-five and looked like two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle. He licked his lower lip, never taking his eyes off my wife and Jessica as they hurried around the kitchen making a meal.

Another black man was sitting at the table. He was about six-one and had a shaved head. Looking toward the kitchen, he demanded, "Bull! How much longer do we have to wait?"

From the kitchen, Bull answered, "Not long Marcus. Chow is almost ready."

The other man at the table was white, average height, but very muscular. From his clothes and haircut, he looked like he was ex-military. As he stood up, I saw a large pistol hanging on his hip in a holster. He walked across the dining room and peered into the kitchen. There was another kind of hunger in his eyes as he watched the women. I had seen that look before. Many men hungered for my wife and this man was not an exception. I could not see Ashley anywhere.

As the women started coming out of the kitchen carrying steaming bowls of food. As Vanessa started past the man with the pistol, he reached out and grabbed her around the waist. My wife screamed out in surprise as he pulled her ass hard against his crotch.

Marcus looked up. "Leave her alone Ryker. I'm hungry!" Reluctantly, Ryker released my wife. She almost ran to the table, placing her bowl of food down near the black man.

Ryker and Bull hastily joined Marcus at the table. The way they piled the food onto their plates, they must have been starving.

Bull looked toward the porch. "What about JD?"

Marcus never looked up from his food as he snarled, "He can eat after we're finished."

Vanessa and Jessica kept busy bringing more food and drinks from the kitchen. I saw Ryker was still watching my wife as she moved around the room. The look in his eyes said he was hungry for more than food.

After they finished eating, Marcus and Bull moved into the living room. As Bull settled onto the couch, Marcus made himself comfortable in my recliner. Ryker was leaning against the kitchen bar as he watched my wife cleaning up the dishes.

"Hey girl!" Marcus called out, "Bring us a couple of beers!"

Since the collapse of the country, beer was hard to get. I had been carefully hoarding it and only drank it on special occasions. Now, I was forced to watch as Jessica got two from the fridge and carried them to the men in the front room.

Handing the first one to Marcus, she went to Bull with his. As she turned to go back to the kitchen, Bull grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his lap. Jessica screamed and struggled, but she was no match for the big man.