The Siege of New Hampshire: Recent Episodes
Mic Roland
When the power mysteriously goes out across the country, Martin‘s Plan B is to walk the 50 miles from Boston to his home in New Hampshire. His plan B must be revised to include Susan: a woman he only knew as a teller in his bank. They make it to his home in New Hampshire but they still have to adapt to a grid-down world.
This podcast is a reading of Mic Roland‘s Siege of New Hampshire series. Available at http://mic-roland.com
Susan reluctantly agreed to let Heather and her children follow her up into Vermont, even though none of them know exactly where they are going. Susan helps them make hemlock snowshoes for themselves and get ready for traveling at night. Progress is slow. The family not only slows Susan down, they become an emotional drain as well.
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Susan discovers a remote, and apparently abandoned, cabin on a hilltop near her overnight camp. She cautiously explores it on the prospect of finding some useful salvage. The place looks like it had been trashed and abandoned but not as thoroughly ransacked as looters typically do. Finding a few hidden rounds to the dead hunter's rifle, she assumes it was his Bug Out Location. She finds a few useful items but becomes alarmed when it's clear that someone is beneath the cabin floor.
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Susan has to face the fact that Charon pressed on to Ohio, abandoning her. She is alone in a woods, far from anywhere she knows. To stay ahead of any pursing soldiers, she heads north. Her vague plan is to travel up into Vermont where she hopes the troops guarding the river crossings will be less vigilant. En route, she encounters the body of a man who died alone in the woods.
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Susan and Charon, having escaped the guardsmen searching for them -- for now -- make camp for the night. They will need the rest, and daylight, to resume their escape. Someone is bound to find their trail eventually. Charon paints a dark picture of what life will be like back in New Hampshire. The trucks of food will only buy them a month or two. Despite the gloomy outlook, Susan still wants to go back. Getting back, however, will be extremely difficult.
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National Guard troops arrive to interrupt Operation Longbow just as Susan was about to cross the bridge and return to Cheshire. Amid gunfire, she is forced back to the west side of the river. Susan and Charon run through the snow of the wooded hills, pursued by several Guardsmen.
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Susan succeeded in getting a truck dedicated to supplying Cheshire and got to customize its load. Just one more thing to complete her list: a pallet of dry beans that won't arrive until midnight. With Malcolm driving, her truck leaves the staging area next to last in line. Many trucks get across the bridge. As her truck approaches the bridge trouble begins to erupt.
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The trucks began arriving at the staging area. They would cross the bridge the next day. The time had come for Susan to leave the camp, hopefully forever, and help load area. In a farewell, Justine worries that Susan being deliberately blind to what awaits her...or doesn't, in Cheshire. Susan overcomes her claustrophobia to help customize a truckload of supplies for Cheshire.
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Susan resolves to teach herself how to hunt with a throwing stick, like Owen did. After a great deal of trial and error, she develops some skill. As darkness approaches, she must confront her fears of enclosed spaces in order to tell the others of her intentions to help load the trucks due to arrive tomorrow. In order to load a truck and ride in it back to Cheshire, she will need to master her fears.
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Susan begins to experience uncontrolled anxiety as a result of her being assaulted and shooting the two soldiers. Others at the camp try to console her but she would rather forget than cope. While seeking some quiet time on a hilltop, perhaps to seek God's help, she watches Owen hunting crows with this throwing stick.
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Susan and Owen flee through the woods but cannot escape. The two soldiers capture them and take them to an abandoned house where they each plan to "interrogate" Susan. She is certain that it will be her last day alive but she is determined not to betray the camp or their work.
This becomes a pivotal moment in Susan's life that haunts her and alters her.
Susan awakens to the bustle of camp members getting ready to salvage three large gravel conveyors for trusses with which to repair the bridge. Embarrassed at not having a way to contribute, Susan talks her way into any sort of task in order to help out. At the distant gravel yard, she finagles a lookout post at what was supposed to be an empty sector. It wasn't empty.
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After helping the volunteers get set up to work on the bridge, Hal, Charon, and Susan set out to look for the lost road again. Relying more on her memories than what can be seen, she identifies the spot where the true road forked off but had become overgrown. Susan and Charon follow the ghost of a road all the way to the dairy farm staging area. Their return to camp takes too long. The evening drone fights begin before they are back across the river.
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Susan assists Byron in the skinning and cleaning of a raccoon. It is more than she ever wanted to know. Afterward, she gets settled into her temporary lodgings -- the earthen basement of the camp's Girls' Cabin. Susan and her new room mate Justine get to know each other. At supper, Susan is gifted with the best cut of the raccoon meat -- at treat would prefer to avoid.To support this podcast, check out Mic's Buy Me A Coffee page at BuyMeACoffee.com/microland Or become a patron at Patreon.com/mic_roland.
A ragtag crew of volunteers work on the old bridge, in hopes that it will carry the big trucks of Operation Longbow. Susan, Hal, and Charon explore the forest across the river, looking for the logging road that Susan remembered from her childhood. All they found, however was a dead end at a swamp. Was the road gone now? Back at the lodge, Susan gets tapped to help Byron dress out a raccoon -- her first (reluctant) experience with skinning an animal.
Happy Thanksgiving, listeners!
Susan and team evade drones as they cross the border into Massachusetts. They arrive at the (apparently) abandoned summer camp only to find that the community of 'rebels' live underground beneath the camp buildings. At her first exploration across the river, it appears the road she remembered no longer exists.
Book 4 starts with when, in Book 3, Martin and the others dropped Susan off near the Mass border. She is being escorted through the closed and guarded border by Charon, one of the Coalition's tactical operatives. While Susan is determined to help Operation Longbow succeed in getting food to New Hampshire, she battles doubts about herself and the wisdom of her choices.
Now that we're starting another book, consider buying Mic a cup of coffee at BuyMeACoffee.com/microland. Or become a supporting member at BMAC or a patron at Patreon.com/mic_roland, and keep the story coming! Thanks!
Bonus Episode -- Horsepower After a collapse, the use of horses for transportation and work could see a revival. What would it be like to farm with horses? Mic interviews Jonathan, a man who currently farms with horses. We get a glimpse of what it's like, and what it could be like.
Photos of Jonathan farming with horses at Buy Me A Coffee / microland / gallery
Resources from Jonathan:
SmalllFarmers Journal -- www.smallfarmersjournal.com
Www.DocHammill.com -- Doc Hammill does workshops and has a series of videos. He is a good teacher and excellent for someone that’s never been around horses.
A few author's thoughts about Book 3.
The Ending That Wasn't. (it turns out)
What do you do with the poor? After a collapse, there will be hundreds of thousands of the Suddenly Poor.
The Rule of Law vs mob rule. What do people do when the usual legal processes are no longer available?
The conclusion of Chapter 20, the last chapter in Book 3: Hunger Season. Martin leaves the barn of the Town Farm after helping subdue their captors. His goal is to find Margaret, hopefully in the orchard's small store. While he's making his way through deep snow, a battle rages up the hill. Raiders from the criminals' camp in Nutfield have traveled north, attacking their way toward the center of town.
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Martin gets work that a group of men have started to raid homes on the south side of town. They are moving north, toward the center of town. They will pass Town Farm, where Margaret and Dustin were holed up during the blizzard. Martin missed riding with the other defenders, so had to trek to Town Farm by snowshoes. Trevor comes along. Passing the dairy, Adam is one of the attackers. He recognizes Martin and raises his rifle to settle an old score.
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Judy frets over the lack of contact with the Town Farm, where Dustin and Margaret were when a strong and sudden blizzard engulfs Cheshire. Martin helps search in near-zero visibility for his neighbor's son who started home from town but never made it.
Thugs and hunger were trouble enough. Now, they have to contend with the power of winter.
A blizzard tale is a great time for a nice hot cup of coffee! :-) Consider buying Mic a cup of coffee at BuyMeACoffee.com/microland. Or become a supporting member at BMAC or a patron at Patreon.com/mic_roland.
With Candice now in custody, implicated in helping Quinn foment trouble in Cheshire, the problem becomes what to do with her. Martin decides to take Trevor to the Simmons' home, freeing up room in the Town Farm's ad hoc jail cell for Candice. While getting Trevor settled in, a powerful snow storm descends quickly, with bitter cold and white-out conditions.
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Candice is confronted about her conspiring with FEMA honcho Quinn to foment trouble in town. (the dairy fire, the gang attack, the Altman murders,) She runs, chased by a very angry mob. Martin and others prevent the mob from killing her but what to do with her now? A plan is hatched to tell Quinn that they'll exchange Candice for the corn FEMA stole. The plan does not go as expected.
This is part one of Chapter 18, which was a bit long. Part two airs next week!
A group of Cheshire men accompany the police chief, attempting to bring in the shopping cart gang from their hidden camp. One of the gang is suspected of the Altman murders. A shootout ensues. Martin coaxes one of the survivors into telling her tale as a refugee from grid-down Manchester, taken in (captive) by the gang. She becomes Martin's "start witness" in the trial of the accused neighbor.
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The crowd at the Altman's house learn that their deaths were no accident. They were murdered. The mob haul in the neighbor, accusing him. Martin finds himself appointed as defense attorney again. Before the trial, Mara meets Martin on patrol. She wordlessly leads him to where the shopping cart bandits had created a nearly-invisible hideout. Martin suspects that one of the bandits was the actual murderer. He rushes to alert others to gather up enough men to arrest the gang before they can escape.
While on patrol, Martin and Margaret discover Mara (living the wild woman life in their backwoods) just as she is being abducted by strange (and large) man. Martin and Andy show the residents of the Town Farm how to make pine fries to supplement their dwindling food supplies. On the way home, they stumble across an apparent murder scene.
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Tempers flare as neighbors begin to suspect neighbors for the barn burning and a rash of petty crimes. Walter makes radio contact with the Coalition. Malcolm's escape prompted increased security at bridges. Operation Longbow may be called off. Susan insists that there are fire trials and logging roads over the mountains. The agent says that person with knowledge of those fire trails must travel to the site to scout a route for the food trucks. It could be a one-way trip.
A distinctive boot print suggests a culprit that started the diary barn fire, but no one is found with such boots. Rations get slimmer still at the Simmons' home. A old hen becomes the household's Christmas dinner. Despite the austerity, decorating, singing, and giving simple homemade gifts lifts everyone's spirits and takes their mind off their sobering future prospects.
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Martin and Judy take Tin Man to Walter's house so he can have an extended radio session. They hear fragments of news about power plant repairs failing and a possible aid fleet to help New Hampshire. Malcolm, a new house guest of Walter's, relates how he escaped with a truckload of FEMA food, crashed through barricades and made it as far as Walter's house. Malcolm spoke of a relief mission called Operation Longbow. On the way home from Walter's, Martin discovers that the town's dairy barn is on fire.
While on his way to a town meeting, Martin is ambushed by Joni's angry/jealous husband. At the trading session, Walter and Sally have some mysteriously new food products to trade. Martin finds his much-dreaded opportunity to have his 'talk' with Joni. Andy improves and negotiates staying with the Simmons'.
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Martin wears a disguise into town to avoid arrest. News from the outside world tells of a tightening siege but also some plans by the Coalition to get aid to New Hampshire. All of Clyde's corn is stolen! Now what do the townsfolk do for food? As snow falls, the Utopians' camp is abandoned, except of Andy, who is unconscious from hypothermia.
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After cleaning their bountiful catch and a hearty feast of fish chowder, Hendrick Brothers Trucking sets out on its return trip. They are accompanied by a squad of National Guard, their HumVee disguised as a bread truck. The plan is to tempt a group of notorious highway bandits into attacking. Martin ends up far more involved than he expected.
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Hendrick Brothers Trucking finally makes it to the seacoast to trade firewood for fish. Martin meets a little old man who wants to take his schooner out fishing. The man coaxes Martin into crewing with them for a share of their catch. The fishing trip turns out to be a bigger adventure than any of them planned.
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To thwart Clyde's arrest order, Martin volunteers to go with Charles and Tyler on their first trading trip to the seacoast. On the way, a group of desperate men emerges from hiding, intent to rob Hendrick Brothers Trucking at gunpoint.
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Knick-knack lady misunderstands Martin's interest in her metalworking tools, offering herself in exchange for food money. Compromise averted, Martin finds a family cold and near starvation. He shares his food and helps them collect firewood larger than what a carving knife could provide. With Joni's metalwork, Filter H is a success. While taking a quick shakedown cruise in the Hendrick brothers' gasified truck, they encounter the police chief and selectman Landers. They were sent by newly-proclaimed Chairman Graedig to arrest Martin.
Despite Margaret's help managing the food supply at the Town Farm, it's obvious that they don't have enough for the winter. At a town meeting, Landers offers Clyde Graedig a two-year abatement on his property taxes in exchange for corn for the town farm. Clyde declines the offer, preferring instead to insist that he should be made a selectman. In fact, he insists on being chairman of the board of selectmen. Since he has the food, it's an offer the town cannot refuse.
Martin acts as surrogate lawyer for the captured gang member at the ad hoc arraignment/hearing held at Town Hall. Some townsfolk, especially Charles, want the accused to be shot for the murders. Martin frets that representing Trevor will ruin his standing in the community. Susan comes along for moral support and the opportunity to speak frankly.
Martin helps the folks at the Town Farm start cutting new wood to help them have heat during the coming winter. Their shortfall of food supplies spurs Martin to go up to Town Hall to suggest that the town acquire some of Clyde's corn for the Town Farm. While at Town Hall, Martin becomes embroiled in what to do with the gang member prisoner.
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Martin and Margaret help out at the Town Farm. Most of the residents there exhibit little hope. Martin and the Hendrick brothers continue to try and convert Charles' old truck to run off a gasifier but they run into failure after failure in trying to produce clean enough gas to run a truck engine. The promise of potentially lucrative trade with people on the coast heightens the sense of failure. Martin thinks the sad "nick-knack" lady might hold the key to their success, though he has no idea where she is.
The story continues. Margaret gets talked into helping with the Town Farm. Martin discovers a food source that might help the less-prepared residents of Cheshire get through the winter.
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While giving the survey a little more time for results, Mic takes you along on a little morning audio tour of his New Hampshire homestead.
Photos to go with the tour are HERE
Results from the survey soon.
A brief review of Book 2 and The Power of Community. Also, announcing a short survey about Book 3. That survey is at:
https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/6IDbzuU3 and is open until 5/24/22.
Lastly, a bonus question. :-)
The people of Cheshire take stock after the first big test of their mutual defense groups. They repelled the attack, stopping all of the robbers, though not without some casualties. Following the grim task of cleaning up after the fight, Martin returns home. His blood-soaked clothing dampens what might have been a triumphal greeting.
This is the last chapter in Siege Fall: Book 2 of the series.
Amid a background of daily life and still trying to get the bigger gasifier working correctly, a call comes in. Trouble, in the form of several carloads of gang members are headed for Cheshire. Martin and the Stockman Hill Company drop everything and rush into town. When they arrive, the assault is already in progress. Several houses have been ransacked by hungry gang members. The Stockman Hill men take up position on the hoodlums' likely return path.
Margaret confronts Martin over his volatile behavior since returning from Canterbury. He has no clear idea just what's upset him. With the Perez family joining the Simmons, the food supplies need to be recalculated. Homemade hominy is a promising solution. Work begins on the Hendrick brothers' gasifier truck. The men in the Stockman Hill area begin to form a neighborhood defense group, though the first meeting isn't encouraging. Later, Susan confronts Martin too, about his odd behavior. He's forced to confront thoughts he has been avoiding.
The caravan of trucks and trailers arrive at Cauloff's farm. All in all, the group survived the gang ambush with relatively minor damage. Martin remains upset over many things, the most obvious being Eric acting as the playboy with Susan. At the Simmons house, an already tightly-wound Martin snaps at hints of impropriety by Adam Dunan. Martin's outburst of rage has the whole house on edge.
The convoy arrives in Canterbury to pick up the cows. While at the dairy farm, Martin becomes upset over Eric Emulari's untoward attentions to Susan and Margaret's trading away her pistol for a few bottles of rennet. All of that turmoil takes a backseat to the trouble the convoy encounters on the trip home. Someone lay in waiting for them to drive through.
The convoy of trucks and trailers depart Cheshire, bound for Canterbury to fetch some cows. En route, they stop in the state's capital, Concord, for an interview by the governor. Following that, is a rancorous meeting in Representatives Hall as the FEMA Assistant Director and the Governor both make their cases before the legislature for whether New Hampshire should accept federal aid (and the many strings attached) or not.
The second half of Chapter 12: During the town meeting, an opportunity arises for the town to adopt some milk cows in Canterbury. Several folks raise objections for why the town can't take in the cows. Martin deflects each complaint with a solution. Jeff Landers and Martin have also been requested to speak with the governor in Concord about some weighty matters. Martin helps the Perez family get to the newly-commissioned town farm.
Martin and Dustin manage to get Tin Man to run their little generator. Feelings of success are tempered by a town meeting in which the residents vote on whether to accept federal aid (and the many strings attached) or to decline the aid and face the coming winter on their own, with what little they have. (This chapter is in two parts because it was over an hour long. Part 2, next week.
The Dunans become difficult houseguests, displeased at the limited meals and duties around the house. Martin helps his neighbor, Nick, secure a little food. While on the way home, Martin finds himself between a couple of city gang members attempting revenge on a fleeing hispanic family. Now, what to do with three more people?
While hunting for squirrels, Martin encounters Andy in the woods again, to find out that the Utopians were beginning to starve. Dustin and Martin start building a gasifier out of salvaged metal parts, in hopes of running their generator off wood chunks instead of gasoline. Adam and Trish began to be trouble for the Simmons household.
The next FEMA truck fails to arrive. The town's shelter runs out of fuel, prompting the selectmen to place all of the sheltered folks into peoples' homes. Martin is not pleased with who he is asked to take in. A group of beggars attempts to intimidate Martin's neighbors until Martin and his people intervene. This trouble convinces Martin to introduce firearms training to his mostly-reluctant household. The results are not encouraging and, in a way, disconcerting.
An unexpected turn for the worse. Ruby dies in her sleep. Now what? There's no one to call to come deal with it. The Simmons household has to deal with death and the aftermath up-close and personal. At the graveyard, Martin has to take the role of pastor and gets roped into officiating over two more burials.
The promised FEMA truck arrives in Cheshire. A long line of residents turned out to get whatever aid was being handed out. Some people receive the promised aid (scant though it is), but others do not. Some heated friction between the FEMA boss and the town selectmen cuts the distribution short. Back home, supper at the Simmons' house turns into a shouting match as tempers flare.
Martin loses his temper over wasteful uses of precious, limited resources. To make amends, he takes Judy to listen in on one of Walter's radio sessions. They listen to fragments of news from the outside world are both sublime and troubling.
The townsfolk of Cheshire grapple with the reality that they are on their own and just what that means. A bold FEMA man comes to town promising to be the social safety net that everyone has lost. His token gifts, proof of his professed benevolence, raise more questions than reassurance. The townsfolk resume their barter fair, exchanging surpluses for needed items. Awkward moments when Susan is mistaken as Martin's wife.
The Simmons' household gets an unanticipated additional strain on their food supplies when they take in an elderly lady from their church. She arrives with virtually no food to add to the Simmons' supplies. While hunting squirrels, Martin discovers that a group of idealistic college students has set up camp in the woods behind his property, intending to live off the land.
Martin navigates the minefield of faux pas between Margaret and Susan. Martin's son, Dustin and his wife Judy arrive seeking refuge, telling a tale of escape from sketchy men up in the mountains. Even though they brought with them what food they had, it's not enough to improve the outlook for the Simmons' household.
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On their way to a town meeting, Martin and Susan encounter what appears to be a dead utility worker at the damaged electrical substation. At the meeting, Martin tries to explain why be believes the power won't be coming back on in a few days. The news upsets some folks. Police and fire services will be severely limited, as well room at the school gym shelter. Tempers flare over what should be done, or not done.
Martin made it home but the power is still out. He, his wife Margaret, and their new houseguest try to get as ready as they can to face the prospect of a long winter with no more new groceries, gasoline, or other supplies. Martin finds the situation with 'two hens in a nest' to be more fraught than he expected.
Coming up soon will be the start of Book Two in the Siege of New Hampshire Series: Siege Fall. This little kick-off podcast is an introduction: a very brief setting of the stage as the story continues.
Epilogue -- Some final (?) thoughts on Book One and a bit of talk about the start of Book Two after a break for Christmas.
The final chapter of Book 1. Martin and Susan climb the last big hill and meet an old ham operator. Via Walter's radio they get help to the old couple and learn a little bit about what's been going on in the nation. A ride in a horse cart eases the last miles, but eventually, Martin has to introduce Susan to his wife, Margaret. He dreads the moment.
While following now-familiar roads toward his house, Martin and Susan discover an old man sitting in his living room while a generator is running in his closed garage. The pair have to break in, in an attempt to save the incoherant man.
Todd Sepulveda, host of ThePrepperWebsitePodcast.com interviews Mic with some questions about the Siege story. If you're a subscriber to Todd's podcast, you'll have already heard this interview. If not, listen in. Todd asks some questions relevant to a preparedness perspective and about the background of the story.
Martin and Susan emerge from the woods, only to be held at gunpoint by an edgy homeowner. He is convinced that the pair are the first of a wave of a 'golden horde' of starving & desperate Massachusetts residents. The man's wife proves to be the calmer head to diffuse the situation.
One Monday morning in October, the power goes out in Boston and apparently all across the nation. Martin decides to go home rather than get stuck in downtown Boston. With traffic gridlocked and no busses leaving for New Hampshire, his only option is to walk the 50 miles. He's not really ready for that.
Martin and Susan escape the carjackers by fleeing into a vast woods, playing an audio version of hide-and-seek. Martin's street map isn't of much use for cross-country trekking. As they work their way out of the woods, they get to know each other better. Although, Martin is too candid about his antagonism toward squirrels. Emerging from the woods seems like a victory until they run afoul of an angry man with a shotgun.
After waking up under the bridge, Martin observes soldiers tasked to guard the bridge. He also encounters a boisterous refugee named Kevin. The three of them continue north through Salem until they witness a brutal carjacking on a remote road. The carjackers pursue the trio into a small housing development where there are few places to hide.
Riding with Isabel, the pair manage to slip past or get around some of the official roadblocks intended to keep the populace in place. That is, until they reach the checkpoint at 495. Now, the Merrimack River becomes a barrier. Once again on foot, they follow the railroad tracks toward Haverhill. Martin hopes an interstate bridge over the river will be less guarded. Before they get there, the sky grows dark and it begins to rain.
Martin and Susan narrowly escape the would-be muggers but Martin does not escape unscathed. Walking north hits a snag when the pair run into police roadblocks preventing people from leaving the area – even on foot. A distraught Hispanic woman agrees to give the pair a ride if they can find her a way around the roadblocks.
As Martin and Susan travel north through Stoneham, they get to know each other a little better. Susan begins to have second thoughts about agreeing to go with him. She worries that Martin is one of those crazy Doomsday Prepper types. All this is overshadowed by trying to evade what they suspect are opportunists wanting to rob them.
A pause in the story to answer two of the questions sent to the author. One: Why isn't Martin carrying a gun? A few notes on why.
Two: What's up with Susan? She has her fans, others wonder how anyone can be that clueless. There are reasons...
Listeners can send in questions too: to mic@mic-roland.com
As Martin and Susan travel north, making their way through suburban Stoneham, they find a little food by dumpster diving. Susan begins to limp from a bad blister. This leads to an awkward moment, which leads to an even more awkward discussion about Susan's emergency housing options.
After a night of sleeping in the woods, Martin and Susan venture through Stoneham looking for food and water but find little. What they do find is a populace lingering in normalcy bias. Even though it is only the second day of the outage, the two of them wonder long will it be before complacency gives way to desperation.
Stalled traffic on the highway becomes an opportunity for criminals to rob the stranded motorists. Martin hoped to avoid the trouble by walking through the woods, around the ongoing crime scene. A protracted gunfight between the criminals and armed citizens trap Martin and Susan in the woods as daylight fades and a cold night approaches.
Martin tries to find a hotel room for Susan before continuing his trek home. The trouble is, all the other people stuck in Boston by the outage have already filled the hotels, or people are fighting over the few rooms left. They must search farther out from the city.
While on his way to North Station, Martin encounters Susan, the bank teller. He escorts her home through the gridlock. Once there, her apartment house has caught fire. Martin volunteers to help her find a hotel room but one after another of the hotels in town are full with other power outage refugees. His good samaritan deed was becoming quicksand.