Scenario 9 The Gathering

[NorthernRaider]

Scenario 9
© 2011Northern Raider
The Gathering

Darren and Helen had been walking for 3 days now, originally they had been cycling but as they passed through what was once Derbyshire they had been forced to abandon them when they were faced with a river crossing. Already weary from days of walking in their search for other survivalists they were heading through the Peak district with the intention of crossing the river by a small road bridge they had once driven over years before. But as they cycled towards the bridge in the bottom of a steep sided valley Darren decided he needed to pee and called a stop. As he relieved himself by the side of the road Helen noticed something reflecting light from the bridge, so she got her field glasses from the saddle bags and took a peek. On focusing on the flickering light she was astounded to see the reflection coming from the scope mounted on a rifle and pointing at Darren.

“Darren down” she screamed followed by her yelling “Gun” before she dropped to the floor. Looking up she saw Darren reacting instantly to her call and throwing himself sideways to the floor at the same time he was trying to fasten himself up.

Just as he was about to ask her what was up as they peered at each other from either side of the road a shot rang out that knocked his cycle off its side stand. “Oh crap” he said “pull your rucksack and one saddle bag off your bike Hon we are going to have to leg it back to those trees, and stay low when we go”

Five minutes later panting breathlessly and shaking with shock they both found cover in the treeline about 500 yards back up the hill from where their bikes lay.

Pulling out their much annotated Bug out Map they scanned it for an alternative route across the river. Darren could see no more road, pedestrian or rail bridges listed within 15 miles. “Bugger, we will have to backtrack all the way to the other side of Leek the way things are looking, there’s no way over that I can find”.

“Dope, not everything is shown on a map” said Helen as she focused her field glasses again on a point about ¾ of a mile north of the bridge they had wanted to cross.

“Take a look at that about ¾ of a click up the side of the valley just in front and slightly below that small works site” said Helen “I think it’s our way over but not with the bikes”.

Darren pulled his compact monocular from the sleeve pocket on his DPM smock and looked at the spot Helen had seen. “ Yes, I see it it’s a pipe bridge, a steel lattice box section of steel carrying what looks like a 36 inch water main. We can use that, well done darling don’t forget to mark its position on the map for future use.

That night after dark the pair emerged from the woods and used the pipe bridge to cross the gulley and river 100 ft below, and by morning they were resting up in a storm drain a good five miles further south.

Eleven days later the couple were sat on top of a hillock near Warminster army camp enjoying a hot stew from a 24 hour ration pack they had collected from another survivalist called Mal who they knew by a mutual friend. Mal had said they were welcome to rest overnight, do their laundry, clean their kit, and have a good meal. When they left the next day Mal had presented them with a 24 hour ration pack each, some climbing rope, some spare carabineers, and a carrier bag of assorted meals from other part used ration packs. Last but not least Mal had been told to give the pair a crossbow from the mutual friend’s cache of gear he left with Mal. So Darren was now kitted out with an elderly but a still very functional Barnett Wildcat Crossbow with a 4x scope and a small bag with 4 spare bolts and spare two strings.

As they sat enjoying their meal and feeling the sun warm their backs they heard a sound, a very rare sound these days, it was a motorcycle engine. Darren jumped up and using his wife’s field glasses he looked for the source of the sound. Finally he saw the motorbike as it rounded a curve in the road, it stopped and the rider scanned the area ahead of him then he looked up at the skyline, he eyes immediately spotted Darren looking down at him.

The rider swung a pair of field glasses in Darren’s direction stopping briefly on Darren but quickly scanning the rest of the hilltop until he spotted Helen. At that he stopped, waved to ensure Darren and Helen were watching and then produced a large piece of yellow paper with the symbols of ‘RZ=?’ written on it. The rider held up the piece of paper or card so he could be sure Darren could read it.



At the top of their voices Darren and Helen shouted down the hill to the very large and bearded biker “Rendezvous”, but the biker waved to say wait and he leant over and turned off his bike engine.
The biker then took off his helmet and then put both hands to his ears to signal the couple to shout again. “RENDEZVOUS” they yelled and this time the biker gave thumbs up in response.

The coupled grabbed their gear and set off down the hill towards the biker Darren keeping the loaned crossbow loaded and cocked as they approached the biker who was by now brewing a hot drink by the side of the road.

After tense introductions all three realised they were among allies from the same preppers forum and Paul the biker had been hoping to find this couple en-route to their destination as he had agreed with quite a few people off the preppers forum to try and help them the first time they came into Paul’s area for the initial RZ.

Paul asked the couple to camp overnight at the layby and promised to come back in the morning, sure as the sun rises the next morning the couple heard the familiar sound of the bike coming back. As Paul rolled into the layby they were tickled to see his motorcycle was towing a trailer. Paul loaded their rucksacks and a bemused Darren into the trailer with instructions to watch in case anyone was following. Then Paul and Helen mounted the bike and all three rode off to the place Paul and wife Jane had naturally migrated towards in order to set up the southern RZ. Glastonbury was that chosen location a place revered by millions and a place noted since the dark ages as a place that was special. Glastonbury was where the new community in the southwest would do their bit to start rebuilding society.

Next day Darren and Helen found themselves being guided by Jane around the Rendezvous they had set up. Jane was seen by most of the gatherings attendees as an apothecary, she used her years of experience in herbalism and foraging to build up a huge range of potions, lotions and knowledge, and that knowledge was greatly in demand these days.
Helen soon managed to start bartering by trading the climbing rope, carabineers and spare 24 hour ration pack meals for other items they needed. Darren spent the next few days teaching the three R’s to the kids of other preppers and survivalists who were desperate to ensure that even during a crisis their kids got an education. By the end of the week the couple had what they needed and established firm friendships and contacts with other preppers and knew that in 3 months’ time another RZ would be held. The beginnings of a new dawn perhaps?

[Skean Dhude]

Glastonbury is a place revered by millions?

That mud pit? There is a fine line between fiction and fantasy.

[bigpaul]

(7 November 2011, 19:07)Skean Dhude Wrote: Glastonbury is a place revered by millions?

That mud pit? There is a fine line between fiction and fantasy.

shows how little you know, we actually lived there for 10 years and although there are more sheeple there than alternatives i am glad i had the opportunity, made some good friend among the alternative community.

[Skean Dhude]

Paul,

If you live there it is different. When the ordinary person hears about Glastonbury the first thing they think of is the music festival and when they look deeper it is a mud pit that is full of people having fun.

My comment was around the 'revered' part of the statement. My brother is in the music industry and lives in Bristol so he goes regularly but he doesn't 'rever' it any more than he does Wembley, the NEC or the NEN.

[bigpaul]

(8 November 2011, 12:13)Skean Dhude Wrote: Paul,

If you live there it is different. When the ordinary person hears about Glastonbury the first thing they think of is the music festival and when they look deeper it is a mud pit that is full of people having fun.

there you go! Glastonbury Festival is NOT in Glastonbury, Michael Eavis's farm is in Pilton which is 8 miles away from Glastonbury, the festival is NOTHING to do with Glastonbury, it is a private enterprise and all Glastonbury town gets out of it is clearing up everyones rubbish after they have caught their buses home from the town.

[NorthernRaider]

By revered I was refering to its long historial association with Arthurian legend and Paganism, both highly respected issues. Glas today it just a tourist attraction with expensive car parks.

[bigpaul]

in the scenario, i believe NR was referring to Glastonbury TOR as the gathering NOT the festival site.

[Skean Dhude]

Ooops. I hang my head in shame. I should have though of Arthur.

[NorthernRaider]

Aye thats the place, struggle to remember opdd names sometimes, Glastonbury tor built when BP was a teenager.

(8 November 2011, 12:39)bigpaul Wrote: in the scenario, i believe NR was referring to Glastonbury TOR as the gathering NOT the festival site.

[bigpaul]

(8 November 2011, 15:54)NorthernRaider Wrote: Aye thats the place, struggle to remember opdd names sometimes, Glastonbury tor built when BP was a teenager.

i might be old but i'm not that flippin old! BP aka methusala