The Hermit - Chapter 5

For the first time since the loss of his family, Neal didn’t suffer through the anniversary of that day alone. Elizabeth was there to console him.

They were married in January, during a break in the weather, at the trading center at Carmello’s store. Neal gave Elizabeth his mother’s wedding ring during the ceremony. After spending three days isolated in the cave house, the two came out to find two feet of snow on the ground, though the compound had been cleared, thanks to Dwayne and Chuck and the Toolcat.

They were talking to Dwayne about how things went during their absence when Chuck came over and interrupted them. “Think you should take a listen to the shortwave.”

Dwayne, Neal, and Elizabeth followed Chuck back to the trailer he used and gathered around behind him when he sat down in front of a desk containing several items of communications equipment.

Chuck keyed the microphone of an amateur radio. “Hello Wyoming. Are you still there?”

“For a while, Missouri.”

“Would you repeat what you were saying a while ago? The leaders of our group are here now.”

Neal and the others listened, shocked by what they heard. The Yellowstone caldera was acting up in a big way. The locals were packing up and leaving the area, most of them heading west, actually going through Yellowstone Park to get on the west side, expecting an eruption to dump millions of tons of ash eastward, with the prevailing winds.

“Any way to estimate when, or even if, it will erupt?” Neal asked. Chuck relayed the question.

“No way to tell. But one of the experts that was here monitoring it before the war survived. He’s the one telling us to run.”

“That’s so far away,” Elizabeth said. “Would it actually affect us? Except for some orange sunsets?”

“We could get ash,” Neal replied. “Lots of it. And really bad winters for a few years.”

“Worse than we have now?” Elizabeth asked, surprised at Neal’s answer.

“Yes. Much worse. I think we’d better plan for the worst.” Then, to Chuck he said, “Tell him thanks for the warning. We’re going to take measures here for a worst case scenario. We hope he gets out or that nothing happens.”

As Chuck talked to the man in Wyoming, Neal left the trailer and Dwayne and Elizabeth followed.

“What are you thinking, Neal?” Elizabeth asked. “What else can we do, that we haven’t already done?”

“That salt. I want that salt, in Arkansas,” Neal replied. “And all the wheat, corn, and hay we can get up here before anything happens. All the meat we can get butchered, dried, smoked, or canned. A couple more milk cows and a bull, if we can get enough corn and hay.”

Neal had been staring off into space. He turned and looked at Dwayne and Elizabeth. “Do any of the others have people they might want to bring to the property?”

Dwayne and Elizabeth exchanged a look. “Yes. I think there are a couple of romances going on,” Dwayne replied. “They may want the person, and perhaps even the person’s family, to come up here.”

Neal frowned. “I don’t know how many we can take in.”

“I think… possibly… eight or nine more. Maybe ten,” Elizabeth said, looking to Dwayne for confirmation.

Dwayne nodded. “No more than that. Family, anyway. If very many find out what we’re doing, they may want to be a part of it.”

Neal nodded. “Okay. We’ll deal with that if it happens. I’m going to get the Suburban ready, and the utility trailer, and head for Arkansas.”

“I’ll go with you,” Elizabeth quickly said.

“No. I need you here coordinating everything. You and Dwayne and Chuck.”

Elizabeth wanted to protest, but Neal had a point. The Magnews were a hard working bunch, but they tended to need strong leadership. It would be better if she stayed. “Okay,” she told Neal.

When Neal turned to walk away Elizabeth and Dwayne realized he meant right now. He was off to get the Suburban ready, just as he’d said.


Four hours later, Neal corralled Dwayne and Elizabeth again. “If something happens while I’m gone, batten down the hatches and get everyone in the cave. I’d like to protect the stock in the tunnel, but I don’t know if we’ll have time. The other steps take precedence. I will see you in about a week.” Neal kissed Elizabeth, and held her in a hug for long seconds. Then he was in the Suburban and off to Arkansas.


Neal needn’t have hurried. He was back with the Suburban and trailer, both loaded to the gills with salt, in six days. Nothing had happened during that time. Chuck had not been able to give him an update while he was on the road, since the man in Wyoming had bugged out to the west and had not set up a radio again apparently.

Shortly after he drove through the gate to his property, during a heavy snow, Neal could just make out stacks of baled hay and straw here and there. There were also half a dozen semi trailers, three of which were grain trailers.

Pulling into the compound, Neal noticed three more large travel trailers and another Class A motorhome parked in the Magnew camp.

Even with the snow coming down, when he got close enough, he saw several women working around the open wood fire in the middle of the trailer compound. There were three large pressure canners suspended over the fire.

Neal parked the Suburban and went looking for Elizabeth or Dwayne. The women at the fire told him they were in the cave. Neal hurried that way. He found them in the outer chamber, discussing what to do to accommodate the family if they had to take shelter inside.

After a quick kiss of greeting, Elizabeth asked Neal, “How did it go? You get the salt?”

“All I had coming, plus I bought some more. That tobacco is more valuable than gold, to some people. You two have been busy. I saw the stuff near the gate when I came in.”

“I’m afraid I used some of your gold…” Elizabeth said.

Neal cut her off. “Our gold.”

“Well, we used some of it to get what you requested. Some of the tobacco and sugar, too. Two semi-trailer loads of corn and one of wheat.”

“That’s good,” Neal replied. “If Yellowstone goes, things are going to be tough for a couple of years. I saw some of the ladies doing some canning.”

“Yes. We were able to get quite a bit of jerked meat from Angelo,” Elizabeth said. “He’s processing a couple of hogs we got. We owe him some salt. We got one steer and butchered ourselves. That’s what we’re canning.”

“Any luck with another milk cow and a bull?” Neal asked.

“In the spring,” Dwayne said. “I couldn’t find anyone willing to trade anything that valuable now. We should be able to get a bull calf and at least one or two young cows next spring. Assuming the best.”

Neal shook his head. “Best we can do, then.”

Dwayne grinned. “Did make a deal for something else, though. You know Harry Cunningham. He’s been making dehydrators and smokers. He’s coming up tomorrow with everything needed to set us up with four big dehydrators and a large smoke house. Again, assuming the best.”

“Good ideas. How’s he getting up here?” Neal asked.

“He’s a handy rascal. Built his own wood gas generator for his old pickup.”

“Okay. I guess we’ve done everything we can do. I just hope we’re wasting our time with all these additional preparations.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than all three felt a slight tremor.

“Did you feel that?” Neal asked the others.

“I did,” said Dwayne. “New Madrid Fault Zone, you think?”

“I hope so,” Neal replied, “Bad as it would be.”

Another, much larger tremor rocked them. “We’d better check on the others,” Neal said, heading for the cave mouth.

There was minor pandemonium at the canning fire. “I’m sorry!” said one of the women as Neal, Dwayne, and Elizabeth ran up.

“It’s not your fault, Caroline,” Elizabeth assured the young woman, distraught over the pressure canner now lying on its side outside the fire pit. The tripod supporting it had tipped, dumping the canner.

“Was that an earthquake?” someone asked.

“I hope so,” Neal said. “But if it was Yellowstone going, we’re in for some rough times, starting in a couple of days. I suggest everyone finish up what they’re doing, and then start battening down the hatches for ash.”

“You really think we’ll get any, that far away?” asked Chuck, who had come out of his trailer after the tremors.

“We’re around the limit of ash fall from one of the largest of the previous eruptions. I’m more worried about the affect the fine ash that doesn’t fall right away will have on the weather.”

Suddenly a deep, thunderous roaring sound enveloped them. It lasted for several seconds. People were looking around at each other.

“That would be the Yellowstone Caldera in an explosive eruption,” Neal said when the sound faded.

“What do we do?” asked one of the younger women.

“Just keep plugging along until the ash gets here, if it does. Could be a couple of days. The less we’re exposed to the ash, the better.” Neal paused, and then said, “Just do everything to close up everything to eliminate as much dust infiltration as possible in all the buildings. And we’d better move plenty of feed close to the animal sheds.”

The group broke up, to do as Neal suggested. Neal turned to Dwayne. “Let’s unload the salt and then move some of that corn, hay, and straw.”

Dwayne went to get the Toolcat, and Neal went to the Suburban. Elizabeth, without an assignment from Neal, decided to get started on a meal for everyone. It would soon be noon and with everyone hard at work, they would need food.

“I love this machine!” Dwayne said, as he loaded Neal’s utility trailer with bales of hay, and then the trailer for the Toolcat. Neal hooked up the Toolcat trailer to the Toolcat when Dwayne had it loaded, and backed up to it.

They made several trips moving the hay and some straw. Then, with the bucket on the Toolcat instead of the forks, they began to transfer corn. Neal controlled the bottom gate of one of the corn trailers, filling the Toolcat bucket, which Dwayne then dumped into the trailers. Unlike the hay and straw, which Dwayne both loaded and unloaded with the Toolcat, the corn had to be shoveled out of the trailers by hand onto the large sheet of plastic the two laid down first. It was covered with another sheet of plastic and weighted down.

Elizabeth’s lunch of soup and sandwiches was well received, as one and then another stopped what they were doing for a quick bite to eat. Everyone worked till dark, and turned in early, to be able to get up early the next morning to continue the work.

Dwayne was one of the first up. He cleared the compound of the snow accumulation that had fallen during the night, using the Toolcat, and then went down to the gate to let Harry in when he showed up.

Harry was an early bird and Dwayne didn’t have to wait long. He led the way to the compound, Harry following in his truck, which had a tandem axle trailer attached. The trailer was loaded with the parts for the dehydrators and smoke house.

Neal, Dwayne, and Chuck all pitched in to help Harry. “What’s the rush?” he suddenly asked.

Dwayne looked over at Neal, who nodded. “Harry,” Dwayne then said, “We got word a week ago that the Yellowstone caldera was acting up. Did you feel those earthquakes and hear that sound yesterday?”

Harry nodded. “Figured it was New Madrid acting up. Though that was sure some loud sound.”

“We think it was the Yellowstone Super Volcano erupting.”

“What’s that mean to us? New Madrid I can kind of understand. But Yellowstone… That’s what? A thousand miles from here?”

Dwayne nodded. “We might get some ash from it. But mostly Neal is worried about a weather change because of it.”

“Don’t make sense. But…” Harry looked around the compound. “You guys sure have done okay for yourselves after war. Must know something. What should I do?”

“Just get ready for some ash,” Neal said. “It’s very abrasive so don’t run engines without cleaning the filter often. And if you’re out in it, use a dust mask. And stock up as much food as you can. It may be difficult to grow much for a while.”

Harry looked anxiously to the northwest, and then at the project he was working on. He looked at Neal then and opened his mouth to speak, but Neal spoke first.

“You finish up here and we’ll double you pay, and give it to you in food that will keep for a while.”

He didn’t hesitate. Harry nodded and said, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

They picked up the pace, but Harry made sure that everything was done to his specification. Neal helped him load up his tools when they had everything installed while Dwayne and Chuck went to get the food promised Harry.

With the food loaded, Harry shook hands all around, got into his truck, and followed Dwayne to the gate. With a wave of good-bye, Dwayne closed the gate and hurried back to the compound.

The expected snow began as he parked the Toolcat. Neal was there and they covered the machine with a tarp. Suddenly Neal opened his hand and held it palm up to catch some of the snow. He rubbed it with his fingers. “Snow mixed with ash,” He told Dwayne. “Let’s get all the youngsters into the cave. I don’t want them getting the least little bit of ash in their lungs. It could give them problems for the rest of their lives. Everyone else wears masks and goggles outside for the duration.”

Neal had a few masks in the Lusby and went to get one for himself and one for Elizabeth. She was just coming up to the little house. “There’s something about the snow…” she said.

“Ash,” Neal said. “Come on. I want you in a mask.” The two went inside and Neal took a box of 3M P-100 masks out of a cabinet. “Here,” he said, handing Elizabeth one of the masks. He took out a pair of dust goggles and handed them to Elizabeth after she had her mask on.

“What about you?” she asked, adjusting the headband of the goggles to suit her.

“There are some more goggles in the cave.” Neal told Elizabeth exactly were they were in the storeroom, and more masks.

She left, but was back in just a few minutes with the goggles in hand. She handed them to Neal and he put them on. She’d brought more goggles and masks and began to hand them out to the adults that wouldn’t be going into the cave immediately.

Elizabeth helped Neal get the canvas cover for the Suburban out of its storage container. They put it on and made sure it was secure. The mixture of snow and ash was coming down harder now.

It took everyone still outside to get the animals moved to the tunnel, to get them out of the ash and snowfall. Neal didn’t want any of them grazing any at all until after the major ash fall was finished. More for the fact that they could inhale the ash from the ground while they were eating, than worry about the ash being ingested.

“We’ll feed them later,” Neal said. “Everybody back to the compound and inside,” Neal called out. “Keep an FRS radio on.”

Neal and Elizabeth went into the Lusby, as the others took to their trailer or motorhome. Neal checked with Dwayne, who was in the cave with Purity and a few other adults, taking care of the younger children.

“You battened down in there?” Neal asked.

“We are. Everyone has a sweater or jacket and is fine. Some of the older kids are asking about doing their chores.”

“Tell them we’ll take care of the outdoor chores,” Neal replied. “For the next few days just what chores need to be done there in the cave are all they have to worry about.”

“Okay, Neal. If you need me to help, let me know.”

“Will do.” Neal set the radio aside. He looked at Elizabeth. “Any ideas how to pass the time until we feed the stock?”

Elizabeth just smiled and sat down on his lap.


When they went out, well before sunset, though it was already quite dim out, both immediately noticed the fact that there was more ash in the mix coming down than snow. “If it doesn’t get worse than this, we’ll be in great shape,” Neal said, his voice slightly muffled by the P-100 mask.

Elizabeth nodded and the two began the job of getting feed from where it was stockpiled just outside the tunnel inside to all the animals. Hay and grain was distributed, put into the feed boxes that Dwayne had already moved to the tunnel with the Toolcat. Neal was thankful that someone had thought about the rabbits and chickens while he was gone. There were temporary cages for the rabbits, and a fenced area for the chickens.

Neal and Elizabeth put down straw for bedding. Besides the feed boxes, Dwayne had already moved suitable water containers into the tunnel. All Elizabeth had to do was fill them from the water spigot fed from the upper well. All the animals would be able to drink their fill.

Neal was milking the cow while Elizabeth was filling the water containers. When he was done, he poured the milk into the hog slop trough to supplement the grain. He didn’t want to deal with the fresh milk at the moment, and it just fattened up the pigs that much faster.

Neal left one light fixture on, and he and Elizabeth walked back up to the Lusby and settled in for the night.


The next morning, when Neal awoke, he had to look at his watch to confirm that it was, in fact, morning. There was barely any light outside. Leaving Elizabeth sleeping peacefully, Neal dressed, put on his mask and goggles, coat, then his wide brimmed hat, before going outside. The snow was dark grey with ash. What little snow there was at the moment. What was falling was mostly ash now.

Neal looked around. There was a three inch accumulation of the ash and snow mixture. Neal thought about getting the Toolcat out to clear the area, but decided it better to wait until the ash fall tapered off before doing so.

He’d just have to do it again, and he didn’t want to stir the ash up anymore than necessary. The snow was actually going to be a benefit in the cleanup, by keeping the ash moist. But there would still be some fines flying around. Fines that would cut up a person’s lungs if enough got into them. And get into the Toolcat’s engine. Better to wait.

Neal saw Chuck come out of his trailer, dressed similarly to Neal. Neal waved and Chuck came over. “Thought I’d check the animals,” Chuck said. “Can you believe how dark it is?”

“I know,” Neal said. “It’s the ash cloud. Could be like this for days.”

The two began walking toward the tunnel. “What do you think will happen to the game in the area?” Chuck asked.

“Won’t be good,” Neal replied.

When Neal returned to the Lusby after taking care of the animals, Elizabeth was up, making breakfast for them.

That was the norm for two more days. Days in which the ash continued to fall lightly and accumulate, with snow sometimes, and without it, others. But on third day Chuck called him on the FRS radio. “Neal. Got a problem in Sullivan. One for Purity.”