Watcher

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As he set there in his hide his mind wondered, how things have changed in the past 2 years. The times were harsh after the Dollar went bust and the food stopped running. It was slowly creeping back in some areas, the ones that were prepared were helping out thier communities but this one he was watching was bad. The head man was a brut beating and taking from his group. After a week he'd seen enough that if something wasn't done he'd kill them all in the end. Law and order was thin to non at best so he had taken his skills on the road to try and save as many as he could for the future of his country.
The range wasn't long for his rifle and skills but he wanted it done on the first round. The big man liked to come out in the morning an bark at the thin raggity people he had beat down. The bully was about to raise is hand to a poor woman that was slow but just as he brought is arm up to strike her the 168 gr bullet hit him like a jackhammer in the chest. He recoiled one step back an looked down at the growing blood stain not quit understanding but as he fell back it came to him before the darkness.
The woman heard the crack of the bullet then seen him falling back , a smile spread across her face and a slight whisper left her lips, thanks who ever you are.
As he packed up to leave he thought he'd be back in a week or two for a checkup and maybe leave some seeds to expand thier garden , a little extra hope was in order.

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As the week pasted he thought he'd better go take a look at the group. He packed up some garden seeds from his supplies and a little candy for the kids he had seen hiding in the camp.
He worked his way through the woods slowly as always keeping an eye out for a deer if luck would have it. About a 1/4 of a mile from the camp he seen a slight movement ,a little brown deep in the limbs. He watched then slowly she stepped into a small opening, bang she slid down giving a small shudder.
Well a little work and maybe a good piece of meat when I get to the camp ,keeping his fingers crossed. As he neared the camp he quietly draw up to a tree an watched for a minute. Everything looked fine ,Hello the Camp. Everyone stopped looking nervous but the woman stepped forward bold as brass an said friend or foe Sir. Well friend would do fine he said stepping from behind the tree. Oh by the way could someone help with this deer I stumbled over I've been looking for a nice fire to cook up few steaks to share ,he laughed.
The woman smiled an thought ,could this be ........... she spoke lol any friend that brings food to our table has a seat at our fire . She asked Bobby a young boy to help and then waved the man to come on in. She looked at his Rifle with the very nice scope on it ,then at his stern but kind eyes thinking this might be interesting. He popped out a bag of beans from his pack an asked could one of you lovely ladies add these to the pot lol just can't help myself it's supper time .
Her curiosity was killing her she laughed to herself, was this him????

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As the meal got under way she said my name is Jill,holding out her hand. He smiled an said most call me Watcher shakeing her hand , I guess my nosey ness in looking out for folks got me that one lol. I was a prepper before the Flu came and now I try to help any that wants it.
Watcher reached for his bag an said by the way how have you been doing on food . Jill looked down we've been going to the subdivision over east finding what we can. He thought have you looked at moving there before next winter ,must be a house with a fireplace . We've talked about it she laughed but our little group moves kind of slow. He reached into his bag an pulled out the candy makeing the kids stare . Now he said looking at the young ones have you all been good today smiling at them. They all shook thier heads yes and he said well then you better reach into this here bag for a piece of candy Mmmmm little ones first. He had counted 3 women 5 kids an one old man that was quiet . He pulled out another bag an handed it to Jill saying something for your future. She looked into the bag an saw the packets of seeds and looked at him with wet eyes, how can we repay you . Watcher smiled ,just survive Jill , we'll just all have to pull together. What say we go to that subdivision tomorrow an line out a plan for doing that ,just then he's mobbed by the kids thanking him for the treat.

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As winter passed the little group had made it through in good shape. Watcher had found a few more to join them and but together a plan to make it work. It had been hard but he was seeing life going on now , slow but getting better. Jill and Him had hit it off and as to that question of the shot that changed thier lives she just let that go ,she new what she needed to know smiling to herself. Thier future was looking just fine.

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They had moved into the subdivision and checked all the houses for supplies of all kinds. They dug in an started a garden and checked out all the fruit trees in the area. Looking for all the canning jars they would need and propane tanks for the BBQ grills they would need this year. He got a quad trak going and found a small trailer to help haul everthing. The house they picked had a few solar panels and he thank the powers that be for little favors. The owner had a small well hooked up with a DC pump that gave them clean water. He went around a salvaged all the Gasoline he could , it would keep the garden tiller and quad going for sometime. Watcher thought boy we've been lucky so far lol but if not for the people that use to be here we'd be scratching out a hard living . He found an inverter an got a few tools going to make up drying boxes to make jerky when he got to deer hunting, Mmmm better check that cattle farm later to it might pay off.

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Jill reminded him of that deer and got him on the move. Early one morning he got his stuff packed up an made for the woods north of the subdivision. He slowly entered planting each foot with care making almost no noise. He watched the ground for deer sign and small trails. After several hours he had some promising trails but no deer yet which was curious. Then as he used his binocs to look deep into the woods he see a glint of metal . He stude stock still looking for what seemed like an hour but he had his answer two guys setting in a small camp, now he thought to himself ,I kinow why no deer. He thought better be checking this out real careful so he started a wide sweep around the camp check them out . He was about done when he got a good view of the big man , dirty and unkeep but then he see it ,the necklace he wore. His face hardend he was behond rage as the sight sunk in.
Ears it was a string of ears, small and large. He thought this is so wrong that my choice has only one outcome. He layed his pack aside and took only what he needed to put evil in the ground.
He slowly made his way to a slight raise in the forest floor, yes this will do.
Watcher checked the wind and range he didn't want any misses today. He check the sights on the rifle took up a tight fold on the M1A and sent one down range. The big man fell over after spraying blood all over is buddy. I got the second round off as the guy started to move but it was to late. Watcher waited for a minute then moved in the sound of the guy moaning. He had wanted information from this crude and wounded him enough to make him stay down. As he worked his way into the camp he was sickend by what he saw cooking over the fire. Watcher almost put the crude out of his misery. He checked the guy for weapons as he begged for help, Mister I'll to that shortly but first you two the only ones out here. Yes yes we were just camping out looking for something better to eat. He looked at the leg on the fire and looked at the man with hard eyes. He finched back ,man it's hard out here we were starving. Yes he looked down pointing to the ears and you just had to keep them , the crude didn't have a chance to answer as the bullet landed between his eyes. He whisper guilty of murder and far worse then turned and walked back for his pack . Watcher moved off not even looking back wondering how many would not have to go thru what these evil man would do to them.

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A couple of years pasted and he was playing with his son and thinking about how his area was changeing. As he traveled around the country he brought his idea to X military and leo's he came across and put together a company of 12 Rangers like the old Texas Rangers he used to read about. They were bringing back wild west law and it was slowly becoming safe in the land. The men had voted him Captain an he took no guff from the lawless. As the years past the people formed thier government again an the Rangers were made the peace keepers with the peoples blessing.

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The County had been quiet for awhile but something was in the wind !

[Gwynmael]

Nice going air

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My first story 1 1/2 years ago for another forum

[myakka]

Nice read. Well done!

[Concerned Dad]

Nice job air