Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:49:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Blade Hamer <razorbald@yahoo.com>
Subject: Turnhurst Manor Chapter 4

Disclaimers: Everything you read in this story is my intellectual property
and as such should be treated with utmost respect. The people described are
not living, breathing human beings mind you. They exist only in the realm
of pure imagination, somewhat. These are my fantasies that I have developed
over the years. The people described in the story do not really exist, but
are rather the combination of several different people. Thus I am not
harming anyone, because they combine features and thus are not really in
existence. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL PEOPLE IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL ON MY
PART.

 All other disclaimers/rules/procedures apply. If you are under the legal
age of viewing this material (depending upon where you live, that could be
any age) please direct yourself to something else that will occupy your
time. This is my first attempt at writing for Nifty, so please take that
into consideration while reading. I've ready plenty of Nifty stories over
the years, and have enjoyed many of the stories that I consider good, now
I'm just trying to pay it forward.

It's going to be a chapter story, so if you are looking for a quick
toss-off better move onto the next story. Other than that, I sincerely hope
you enjoy my story. Constructive criticism/feedback/comments are duly
appreciated. Please direct them to my email at razor_bald@yahoo.com. All
are welcome!


Turnhurst Manor by Razor Blade

Chapter 4


Summer was coming to end. It was hot most of the time, but the crops were
doing well and we were already harvesting some of the crops we had planted.
Somehow Brandon had got a few of the tractors running with the help of
Chris of course. Those two had become good friends but I did not trust
Brandon for some reason. When Brandon couldn't figure some things out he
would ask if he could get help from Chris. So I would bring him over to
help and when they got something going, Brandon would take the credit for
it. Chris said he didn't mind but I could tell that it did. I also realized
that if they found out that Chris was the real genius he would be taken
from our housing unit and I knew that would kill Ben.

Eddy and Tom no longer watched our housing unit because we were the most
behaved, educated, and disciplined house. Thanks to Ben and me and of
course the boys help too. We figured it was easier to learn and train so
that when the time came we could help fight or fight to escape.

My birthday was coming up and Tom asked me what I would like for a present.
He said I could have anything that I wanted. So I asked if I could see my
father. So on the day of my birthday I was brought to one of the house on
the out skirts of town and was left there while they brought my father to
see me.

When I saw him come through the door I ran to him and gave him a big hug.
Dad hugged me back. He told me it looked like I had grown since the last
time I saw him. Tom left us alone so we could talk. I asked dad how he was
doing and he told me he was doing fine. But I could tell he was lying. He
had lost weight and he looked like he had not been out in the sun at all.
His skin was pale and where there had been muscle before there was only
skin and bone.  I told him we needed to get out of here. He frowned,

 "we can't leave; they would kill us if they were to catch us and I am not
in any condition to be traveling."

"That is the reason to get out of here this place is killing you dad." I
said with tears in my eyes. He stroked my hair.

Then said,

 "don't worry about me son just take care of yourself."

 Dad hugged me close and started to shed tears. He held me close to him and
right there and then I made up my mind we were going to escape that night.
As dad held me I began to whisper my plan for escape that night. Dad sat
there silent listening to my plan. I didn't think he would do it at first,
then whispered back he was in. We made our plans, I told him there would be
a few other coming with. At first he did not like the idea but when I told
him I didn't really have a choice he agrees. So when we parted our plans
were set there was no going back. Our new journey was about to begin.

When I got back to the housing unit I gathered Ben, Chris, and Kyle
together and told that tonight was the night so we needed to get ready. Ben
would be on guard tonight so that worked out to our advantage. We were to
meet by the corn field. There would move into the field head straight
across and hopefully come out of the field right next to the woods where I
had stashed all the supplies. I would have to go get my father and try to
meet up with everyone.

I was not sure how I would get pass the guards at the big house, I had not
thought that far ahead. When night began to fall Ben headed out to guard
the fields. I told Chris and Kyle that they were not to leave until I gave
them the signal. So they waited while made my way across the compound, I
walked out in the open where I could and when I couldn't I would sneak
around buildings. Many of the guards were used to seeing me out at night.
Around the big house more guards were posted, but tonight there did not
seem to be as many.

I saw movement at the corner of the house. At first I thought it was one of
the guards so I hid. I watched as the man made his way to one of the
outlying building, then cross the yard ducking behind barrels and
barricades as he went. As he got closer I could see that it was my father.
I rushed over to him and together we made our way back to my housing
unite. I had my father hide behind the store while I went inside to get
Chris and Kyle. When I got to my sleeping area I found Kyle crying in the
corner when I asked him what happened he told me that to men came and took
Chris.

"Damn" I said. "When?" I asked Kyle.

He told me they had come in just after I had left. I did not know what to
think, because they had left all of his belongings so they could be bring
him back. I didn't know what to do; I knew if we left now they would beat
Chris to see if he knew any information on where we had gone. But this was
our only chance. I told Kyle to grab his stuff and follow me. Dad met us at
the back of the building and we made our way across the compound to the
field and disappeared into the corn.

I lead the way thorough the corn till we reached the end of the field where
Ben was waiting. When I told him that they had took Chris from the unit he
said he wanted to go back.

"No" I said.

Ben stood and glared at me.

Then said, "I am going back, I don't care what they do to me. Chris is my
friend."

"I know, he is my friend too but they would know you helped us escape." I
said.

Just then we heard noise coming from the field. Chris emerged with his
stuff on his back.

"Let's go" he said. "They know something is up and they are looking for you
and Kyle right now, I slipped out when they went to get Tom."

So we hurried into the trees and I lead the way. When I was planning I
picked the hardest route I could find; I figured most people who try to
escape would go just through the woods. So the first leg of our journey we
went through the trees then we went through tall grass, thickets, and the
thorny brush. I would point to the guys to where I wanted them go and told
them once they got to the middle to stop. I gave Ben a machete to cut out
some of the bush. Then I would back track to where we came from and use
brush to hide our tracks the best I could. A few times I thought I saw
someone and I would stop and listen it but it was dark out and I couldn't
really tell if there was someone there or not. I slipped back into the
bushes and waited but did I not see anyone.

I made my way to the middle of the thick brush and met up with Ben. My dad
was resting while the others were tending to their wounds.  Ben hugged me
when I came out into the open, then asked if anyone was following us. I
told him I had not seen anyone but I knew they would come as soon as day
would break. I asked my dad how he was doing he said he was ok. Then I gave
him a big hug and sat down next to him. He held me for a few minutes. Then
he suggests that we keep moving. I knew we should to so I got up and told
the guys I would lead the way.

The deeper we moved into the thickets and thorn the thicker they became it
was getting harder to move through because the thorns would tear at your
clothes and skin. Chris was getting cut up the mainly because he only had
on shorts and a tee shirt.  I suggested to Chris to put more clothes on but
he just pushed on.

We were still in the thickets and thorn at day break so I decided that the
group should rest. It was not easy sleeping on the hard ground with roots
sticking into your back and if you rolled or turned you would get stuck by
thorns it is not the best way to get rest but we tried. At one point I
thought I heard men yelling and even a few shots fired but then I fell back
to sleep. I woke up sometime around late afternoon and I went to look how
far we still had to go while the others still slept. To my surprise we were
only a few hundred feet from an open field. I could see foot prints in the
dirt. The search party had not been that far from where we were. That made
me a little nervous, they could still be around. So I crawled back into the
thickets. When I got back to the others I told them what I had found and we
all agreed that we would stay there until night fall. We ate some of the
supplies we had brought along then napped so we could be rested up for the
rest of our night's journey.

Once we moved out into the open field we moved as fast as we could so we
would not be spotted. Once we made the next tree line we stop so we could
patch up Chris who was a bloody mess. Though the bleeding had stop he was
covered with blood from the scratches. We found a small stream and drank
then washed up. I had packed wrap for wounds and began to make Chris look
like a mummy. After we got him bandaged up we all had a good laugh. Once
Chris got dress we began our travels once again, since we were now a full
day's from the compound we slowed our pace. We did that to make it look
like we were just traveler moving across the country side. We would stop
now and then to give my dad a rest. He was the weakest of the five of
us. Every chance we had Ben, Kyle and myself would go hunting for food so
that we could keep up our supplies. Days turned into a weeks. Since we had
not seen anyone for a week we decided we would find some place to camp out
for a few

 weeks. Dad seem to be getting stronger but did not look to good. We found
an old abandoned farm house with a few out houses and a barn. Chris and Ben
went out to investigate while dad Kyle and I looked around the house.

Inside the farm house we found that it had three bedrooms, a living room
and a kitchen with two baths. The water was not working but there was an
old pump house out back. There was some furniture in the house some chairs
a couch and a TV. But there was no electricity and even if there was none
of us thought there would be any television station on the air.

Upstairs the room had beds and dressers in each room. From the looks of it
the people left in a hurry because there were still cloths and other
belonging inside of the dressers. Dad laid down in one of the smaller bed
and rested for the rest of the day.

Meanwhile, Chris and Ben returned from the outlying building. Chris was all
excited he had found an old truck that seems to be in good condition and he
said he wanted to see if he could get it going. They also looked at the old
pump house and found that the generator there was seized up but Chris said
he could have that going by tomorrow evening if he could find oil and some
gasoline.

We worked in the house for the rest of the day cleaning what we could,
mostly the bedrooms so we could bed down for the night. Ben and I sat down
and discussed how the group could get out of the house if it were to be
taken under siege and decide what would be the best route out. We also
decided that we should take turns watching for any rebels or the compound.

That night I took the first watch. Ben said he would take the third and
Kyle would take the second. Both Kyle and I are night owls so it seemed to
worked out good. Dad and Chris both said they wanted to take a turn but we
talked them out of it. I didn't think dad was strong enough and Chris was
just too young. But we never told them that.

We also split the bedrooms up into two's, Chris and Ben in one, Kyle and I
in another and we let dad keep the room he was already in. Sharing a room
with Kyle worked out good because while I was awake he got the bed to
himself. I would crawl into bed and Kyle would leave to do his shift. It
seems to work out great.

A few days had past and thing seem to be going good. Chris got the
generator going in the old pump house. So now we had water in the house and
we were able to get cleaned up. Dad was on his feet and helping around the
house and the farm place. Dads complexion still did not look to good and we
all knew it was because he needed to eat. Which dad did little of. Chris
was now working on the truck he had found. I had to laugh because he was so
small and to see him working on this truck was just so funny and when he
was not working on the truck he was working on other things around the
farm.

Ben, Kyle and I worked out and alarm system around the farm so we could
hear someone come. Ben had found a huge roll of wire in the big shed. So we
strung it up about three hundred feet out from the farm house and attached
empty cans, along with a bell we found. We put the bell in the house and
when we tested it the bell would ring if the wire was tripped or cut.

Kyle had also found some traps in one of the sheds so we set them up to
catch rabbits and squirrels. That way we could have fresh meat to eat.
There was a small stream that ran next to the farm and there were some fish
in it. So we would try fishing too. In the bigger sheds there were farm
tractors and trailer but none of us knew what to do with that equipment.
Chris seem to think if we stayed here long enough he could figure out how
to get them running and maybe learn how to use the stuff. I knew the
equipment would need fuel to run so when we went out looking to see what we
could find. Ben and I would look on the other farm places for fuel and
oil. Then we would try to hide what we found so no one else would take
it. On one of our trips out we found a small town that had a gas station
but it looked like all the fuel was gone. We didn't have time to check any
of the other buildings because we were not prepared to fight anyone if we
did run into anybody.

On some of the other farm places we found, bags of small grain, corn, and
other things. On one farm we found tomato plants still growing so dug them
up and brought them back with us. When we went to dig up a spot to plant
them we found a garden with potatoes, carrots and radishes. Things were
beginning to look up. Out back there were even a few apple trees and plum
trees in the back yard.

We dug up some of the potatoes, carrots, and radishes then put them in the
cellar for storage for the winter if we stayed. Dad told us when the time
came that we would have to dig up all the vegetables before the frost set
in so they would not rot in the ground. When we were putting our crop in
the basement we found seeds for more plants. But it was too late in the
year to be planting anything.

I was hoping we would not be staying to long because we were still too
close to the compound for my comfort and I figured they would still be
looking for us. I estimated that we were not more than forty miles away
from the compound and it still worried me.

 Ben told me not to worry but I did. We were there for almost a year and we
knew too much about what went on there.  So I decided to keep our packs
fill with supplies and clothing in case we needed to leave the house. I had
even planned a few different route we could take if we needed to leave.

One night in late September while Kyle was on watch one of the alarms went
off. We all scrambled to get up and Dad and Chris grabbed the bags and went
to a spot we determined as a good spot to meet. While Ben, Chris and I
searched the area to see what had set off the alarm. The alarm indicated
that there was someone or something in the large field south of the
house. As we made our way to the field Ben almost fell over what had set of
the alarm. There in the field we found a small flock of sheep. Ben repaired
the fence while Chris and I herded the sheep back toward the farm. Once
back at the farm I sent Kyle to get dad and Chris. By the time they got
back I decided I would need their help get the sheep into one of the barns
that had a corral. There were ten in total and it looked like they had been
running free for awhile.

It was the first time I had seen dad smile for a long time it even seemed
like he was having fun. Kyle and Ben went out to see if any of the other
alarms needed to be reset. For the first time in a long time I was
beginning to feel comfortable. Kyle finish his shift and Ben took over but
no one could sleep so we sat around looking at the sheep and talked. During
our talk, I began to wonder how many other farm animals were out just
wondering around. Ben seemed to be thinking the same thing because he turns
to me and said.

"We should be looking for more animals when we are out looking for
supplies."

 I laughed and told him I had the same idea and if Chris gets the pickup
going we could use it to go from farm to farm and pick up any feed we could
find. Ben agreed and so did Chris. So Chris went back to work trying to get
the truck going.

That day we all were tired but excited with the possibilities ahead. Just
maybe we could begin a new life here on the farm. We had not seen anyone in
over two months. They had to be bringing in crops at the compound so they
were going to need every man and child to bring them in. So they would not
be looking for us anymore well at least not till the crops were in.

Ben and I decide while we were out we would look for weapons to protect the
farm.

We had been to eight farm site and we knew what was in the barns but had
not gone into any of the houses. The reason we hadn't gone in to them is
because we thought there could be a chance that there could be squatters
and they could be armed.

Ben and I headed over to the first place we checked out. We cautiously
approached the farm house looking into every window. Then after seeing that
there was no one in the house we went quietly through the back door. The
furniture was all covered with plastic. We looked around and found a few
things we could use over at our place. Upstairs we found some winter
jackets and undergarments. So grabbed them on our way out the door, we
would most likely need them when winter came.

We then took a second look out in the other buildings and barns were we
found hay and feed. Most of the feed was for cattle and pigs. So we hid
what we could for later then went back to the house and grabbed the winter
clothing. It was a good thing because two weeks later it snowed. Chris felt
it was necessary to work on a few of the farm tractors going since we now
had sheep. Chris and dad were in charge of taking care of them and Chris
noticed how dad would get tired carrying hay bales from the hay
mount. Chris finally got one of the Allis Chalmers running the tractor had
a bucket on front and they began to use it to move the hay around.

It was funny as hell watching Chris use the tractor at first, you have to
remember Chris was only 11 years old and he was small but he finally got
the hang of driving the tractor after dad helped him a few times.

Two days later Chris got one of the truck going and dad was now teaching
all of us how to drive. Once we go the hang of it we would take it out to
retrieve supplies from the other farms.

On one of the other farms we found two large underground fuel tank full of
fuel. On another place we found feed for the sheep, cattle and rabbits. It
seemed like every farm we went to had tons of hay in the hay mount so we
would not have to cut and bale hay for at least a few years.

Then one day while we were out we ran across a few cows out in a field and
they had calves with them. One of the cows had a harness on its head and
when we approached it came to us. Chris grabbed a rope and tied to the back
of the truck. Chris drove the truck slow and the cow followed like it had
done that before. When we got them back to the farm we penned them up in
with the sheep. So now we had cattle and sheep to take care of.

With all these animals to take care of dad was feeling better. It gave him
something to do and he seems to be enjoying it. We had asked him many time
if he wanted to come with when we went to search the other farm places, he
always declined to come with us, everyday he seem to be getting
stronger. We let him take over the house duties and the feeding of the
animal so he would have something to do and dad seems to enjoy that. But we
could all tell there was something still bothering him. Several time I
tried to talk to him about what happened at the compound and when I did he
would go into a shell. So I figured he would talk about it when the time
was right. Every once in a while he would talk about going to look for his
father but then he would break down then go hide in his room.

Kyle took to the farm life with ease he loved working with the cattle and
sheep. He found out one day that the sheep would follow him anywhere, so
one day he took them out into one of the pastures and watch them graze.

Ben, Chris and I drove around from farm to farm finding more animal to add
to what we already had.  At one place we found two horses and at another we
found a goat. Then on day while we were out, a dog showed up at the farm
place. We still had not found any guns but we did find plenty of
ammunition.

At the compound we knew they did not have any animals and if they did they
kept them out of sight.

We hadn't seen anyone in over three months and now that it was getting
colder out so we figured we would not see anyone.

Boy were we wrong.

One day while we were out, we came across another small town. While
investigating one of the buildings we heard a shot ring out. We had decided
to parked the truck just outside of town so not to draw any attention to
the it, and we knew there were not many vehicles are on the road any
more. So we thought best not to bring it into town. Which may have been a
mistake, because when came out of the building the shooter focused on
us. Thank god the shooter was a bad shot because he missed. After dodge
from building too building we made our way back to the truck. Once back at
the truck we jumped in and drove away.

We figured we would wait a while then come back at another time to look
around.  There was one building we were able to look in it appeared that
there would be stuff we would be able to use on the farm. There were tools,
saws, shovels, hammers, nails, nuts and bolts, potbelly stoves and other
stuff in which could improve things around the farm place.

We got home just as night was falling, Chris fill the truck with fuel then
went to help dad and Kyle with the chores. Ben and I unloaded the grain and
feed from the truck then headed into the house to eat supper. Then everyone
went to bed.

The dog was sitting next to me when the alarm when off in the large
field. I woke Kyle before I went to investigate. Once he was awake he could
wake the others if there was danger.  The dog and I went to see what had
triggered the alarm. As I came around the big pole barn I heard two men
talking. I heard one say.

"Look there are animals in the barn."

"Do you think they are the people who were in town?" The other said.

 "Could be." the first one said.

"But didn't you say they were just kids?" the second one said.

"yeah." The first one said.

 "Ok let's just look around and see what they have then come back for it
later." The second one said.

 Just then I heard a loud noise it almost sounded like a shot. Then I saw
one of the men fall to the ground and the other had turned and was running
out toward the field when I heard a second loud noise and I watch as he to
fell to the ground. Dad came around the corner holding what looked like a
gun. Chris followed also holding what looked like a gun. The man in the
field was still alive; he was crawling away when dad took another shot from
his weapon. This time the man just laid there. Chris ran up to me and asked
if I was ok. I told him I was then ask him what just happened. The two of
us watched as dad walked out to the field and kicked the man laying there
than walk over to us.

 In the mean time Chris began to inform me, he was out looking in one of
the shed he had found these crude weapons and when he showed them to my dad
he took them and cleaned them up. He said when my dad had cleaned them up
they took them out and fired them off.

"I don't remember guys firing them." I said.

 Chris said my father and he had done that when we were out getting
supplies for the farm.

When my dad reached the first man that had been shot, he found him still
alive. Dad rolled him over; I could see dad recognized him. Dads face fill
with rage. He lifted his weapon and you could see the man's face as he
recognized my dad and it began to fill with fear.

Without any hesitation dad fired a second shot into the man killing him.
Kyle and Ben showed up, dad turned to us and said.

"Grab the truck and take these bodies and dump them as far away from here
as you can."

We all nodded in agreement. As my dad walked away you could hear him start
to sob.

Ben went to get the truck while Kyle and I went to retrieve the body from
the field. There was a lot of blood so Chris started one of the tractors
with a bucket and began to clean up the spot. We picked up the body and set
it down next to the one next to the building and when I got a closer look
at the man I recognized him as the man who was fucking my father at the
compound. Now I knew where his rage had come from. From that day on my dad
was a different man.

Before we loaded the bodies into the truck Ben threw down some straw and
hey then laid an old tarp down so not to get blood into the truck. The
reason he did that was if someone came looking for the two guy there would
not be any blood in the truck. Chris cleaned up the area where the bodies
had been laying while we left to dump the bodies.

Ben and I headed north to an old farm place where most of the structures
were collapsing in on themselves but the farm house was real good shape. We
also knew at on time or another there had been a shootout there. As you
walked in the house you could see bullet hole all through the house. We
took one body and laid it by one of the collapsed barns and the other by a
tree by the house.

This place was over an hour drive from where we were and we hoped if anyone
came looking for the wouldn't think we had anything to do with it.

When we got back to the farm place Chris had plowed the field where the
bodies were. Dad was helping him hook up a disk so he could knock down the
big furrows that the plow had left behind. Dad had also been out and reset
the alarm. By this time the sun was coming up and we were tired. Kyle said
he would take the watch so the rest of us could get some sleep.

Two days later a young man came walking up the drive way. The dog barked
and howled letting us know someone was coming. Dad told us to stay in the
house. I recognized the guy as Dave; he was one of the guards from the
compound. Dad walked out with his weapon in hand and asked the young man
what he wanted? He asked if we had seen two men who were traveling through
the area. Dad told him that he had not seen anyone. Dave then asked dad if
he was alone.

"Young man that is none of your business, I will tell you that right
now. The only reason you are not dead right now is because I am in a good
mood today. Seem like Boe is in a good mood to normally he don't bark he
just attacks." Dad said.

Just then Boe growled. Dave backed off then turns to leave. Boe followed
Dave growling and barking all the way down the driveway. When dad gave the
all clear we came out of the house.

Dad said. "We have to be on our toes now more than ever. That young man
could bring more people with him next time."

We all agreed. Boe came trotting back wagging his tail. We all laughed as
he plopped down next to dad. So the remainder of that day we made
fortifications to the house and the barns. Dad said we should dig traps out
around the perimeter of the farm place. The next day we took the tractor
out and began to dig traps. Some of the traps we dug, were so deep that
when someone fell in they would have a hard time getting out by them
self. We then laid foliage over the top then cleaned up the ground around
them so they looked like the landscape. Dad found in his weapons book a
section on how to make deadly traps using sharpened sticks along with using
young trees as snares. It was kind of fun setting all the traps up. We
mapped of where everything was so when we went out to check them we would
not be hurt by them.

It was quiet and we didn't see anyone for weeks since the young man showed
up and now it was starting to getting colder. It felt like it was going to
snow. Ben and I made two more trips out to the other farms. We picked up
more fuel and wood for wood stoves. Chris was teaching Kyle how to fix the
tractors, he also showed my dad a few things too.

When Ben and I retured to the farm we could see that there were tracks out
in the field it looked like someone had been chasing down something. Kyle
ran out from the house. He had his weapon in his hands and he was looking
around as he ran to our truck. He was out of breath when he reached the
truck. I asked him what happened? Kyle told us that three men had come up
to the farm and at first they just talk to my dad. Kyle said he did not
hear what they were talking about but then one of the men pulled out a gun
pointed it at dad and shot. Kyle said he ran to the house and grabbed one
of the guns. By the time he got back to the barn Chris had ran over two of
the men with the tractor and was chasing the third man in the field. Kyle
said he shot the man and Chris finished him of by running him over. I asked
how my dad was and Kyle said it didn't look good.

Kyle said Chris helped him carry my father into the house. Once inside two
more men attacked the house. Chris snuck out the back and made his way out
to the barn grabbed the gun that was hidden in there and headed outside to
find where the men had been shooting from.

I got out of the truck and ran to the house Ben followed. Kyle kept talking
while I looked at my dad. He had a just a small hole in his chest but when
I rolled him on his side the hole was huge in his back. When I rolled him
on back over he looked up at me and said.

 "You take care of these boys they need you son."

Then he closed his eyes and passed away. I don't remember much after that.
I know I broke down and cried. I know Ben sat with his arms around me
rocking me back and forth. I had fleeting glimpse of Chris and Kyle
crying. I remember hearing shots ringing out and the other guys running
about. I remember Ben putting a blanket over me and telling me everything
would be ok. Then darkness.


Nifty is kind enough to post these stories for you to read so in return
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thanks again for reading all remarks are appreciated.