Texas Fallout - The Survivor Chronicles

reply to post by masqua


Thanks for that Masqua. Hopefully my earlier post will clear up some things and we can get rolling again.

reply to post by desertdreamer


No problem at all. It's a wonderful thing to see collaborative efforts like these becoming a regular feature of the Collaborative Writing forum. The resulting effects are already starting to show themselves through increasingly well crafted stories submitted to the monthly contests.

And that's a GOOD thing...

As the writing forums start to become more popular to the greater membership, there is only one drawback for me personally and that is the need for me not to join in the conversations since I can't moderate threads I'm active in. I'll have to stick to my own stories and threads for fun and entertainment.

Consider the posts in this thread to be 'mod notes'.

good deal..... Now back to the story... Are you going to have them arrested for the fire works infraction? Will the party go down without a hitch? Will the neighbors enjoy the festive displays or will they grab garden hoses and complain?

I can not wait to read what shall come next

Not quite sure yet......but I will work on it today!

reply to post by desertdreamer


Thank you for clearing that up for me. Like I said to titorite, I will just wait until a few more posts go up and wait for my que to enter the story.

reply to post by Mr. Toodles


Excellent! You sir are very professional! I appreciate that!

reply to post by Jenna


Jenna, if you are going to write as a single character, please read my last post. It kind of lines things out. It will be different for those writing as a single character, and those writing in general (for all other characters...other than the ones being written for as a single character). Thanks!

reply to post by desertdreamer


Ok, no problem. I was waiting to make sure before I started writing anything out. I think I'll stick with just a single character for my writing if you don't mind. I'm more than willing to help work out what should come next and stuff like that but I'm worried I'd end up messing up the flow if I tried to pick up where you or titorite leave off.

I'm a noob. Don't want to mess anything up my first time out of the starting gate.


Edit: typos.

[edit on 22-9-2009 by Jenna]

reply to post by Jenna


No problem, lets just talk in the working thread and we can see when we can work your character in. Thanks.

Okay, I have put up the next installment. i have taken it just past the New Years Eve party. We can go ahead and fast forward to say...spring/summer time. I have left a seed in the last entry that can blossom into the militia/conspiracy theorist stuff. River has a secret place, a trap door in her garage, and has been very secretive about it....until now. She is thinking of bringing in Lake and Brandon....but not too fast. I want to build on that part of the story. We can bring in the conspiracy part of the story....say, write from Brandon's perspective. IE: what he does during the day, what he is investigating, who he deals with, etc. We can also start bringing in the militia....or the talk of militia. maybe there already is one, and they have already been together for a while. They train out in the desert, away from civilization. maybe a whole network already in place. What do you guys think? We also need to go ahead and start laying the groundwork for how this all happens. Government foul up? Rogue nation? We need to make it a storyline. Does anyone have any ideas? Before anyone posts next in the story, lets make sure we are all on the same page. Look forward to hearing from everyone.

reply to post by desertdreamer


Just finished typing up the intro/background for my character. I'm going to copy/paste it here so it'll be easier to figure out when to bring her into the story. If there's anything that you think needs to be tweaked or anything that should be added to tie it in to the story-line better let me know.

___________________________________


Emma Fields sighed audibly as she sat staring out her father’s kitchen window. She’d heard the same speech several times over the last year and knew what to say and when to say it without even listening. As much as she wanted to just get up and walk out, she knew she was obligated to sit and wait for the speech to end as it always did: he’d say he wasn’t bailing her out anymore, and she’d swear it wouldn’t happen again.

“Emma, are you even listening to what I am saying to you?” Robert asked. “I can’t afford to keep bailing you out of jail every time you decide to break into a warehouse.”

Still staring out the window she answered, “Yes, Dad. I heard you. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

“I just don’t understand what’s happened to you,” he said. “You’re 19 years old. You should be in college right now, not skulking around at all hours of the night breaking into buildings. If your mother were here…”

She stood up abruptly, her chair clattering backwards across the room, and started for the door. Voice harsh with anger she said, “Well she’s not, is she? She died almost a year ago remember? I have to go.”

“Emma… Emma, get back here,” he called after her. But it was too late; she had jumped in her car and slammed it into reverse before he even made it to the front door.

That was new. He’d never brought her mother up during these little speeches before. Emma didn’t like to think about her, it brought back too many fond memories followed by the harsh reality that there wouldn’t be any more memories. It was much easier to just not think about it.

She blamed herself for her mother’s death, though she’d never admit it to anyone. It had been raining the night her mother died. She was running late coming home from work and Emma had been angry with her for not making it to her gymnastics competition. An oncoming driver swerved to avoid a section of road that was already flooded and hit her head on, killing both of them instantly.

“Get a hold of yourself, Emma,” she said aloud. “Nothing you can do about it now, so stop dwelling.”

Glancing around she saw a Wal-Mart coming up and flipped on her turn signal. She hadn’t been able to stash her lock picks before the cops showed up the night before so she’d have to make a new set. Once inside, she was headed for the hardware department to pick up a few tools that would suit her purposes when the camping gear caught her eye.

On a whim, she grabbed an Ozark tent, a sleeping bag, water purifying tablets, and other gear she knew she'd need. Month-long camping trips had been common in her family up until her mother died. Her father had always insisted that everyone should know how to survive away from civilization for an extended period of time, "just in case".

She paid for everything with a credit card she’d swiped from her father’s wallet a week before that he still hadn’t noticed was missing yet. By the time she’d made it back to her car, a plan had been formed. There were plenty of areas around Carta Valley that were sparsely populated and she needed some time alone.

reply to post by desertdreamer


Some things have me curious.. last time I was in Texas the Fire works bans were getting worse... Is Alamo and Mr.W still in business?

What of Perry?.... I highly despise that guy...I seriously think he has folks rigging the Vote.... I'm thinking about writing that in too.... Perry Still in office in 2014.....God Save Us.

What of the militias?

Have any of you spoken with the Texas Militia for real? I did once. I called them and asked how did one go about joining the Texas Militia.... They told me I should start my own and hung up.

No joke....It left an impression on me. Being paranoid is no excuse for being rude... ALSO I have been thinking about this as I thought of relaying that experience.... The militias , not just in Texas but all over the US strike me as stuck up and either unwilling or incapable of standing up for us...We already have every reason and need for them to stand up to the Federal government for its overstepping the Constitutional boundaries... and yet they sit on the side...and drink beer ... and polish their guns..... and leave us all out to dry...

At least the Truthseeker folks were open and willing to try to do something.
I am not sure how much I should talk about it here... I mean I had my experiences with them... Most of it was attending meetings listening to horror stories like Randy Weavers and Cele Castillos'.... And then their was the Direct Action...

So yeah I see two kinds of public organizations in Texas... The grass roots folks that are their for real... doing stuff to help others.... and the Militia which was a big disappointment for me.

I speak on all of this so that yall might draw on my personal experiences. I could go on but I think I have go on long enough here... If anyone wants to know more feel free to ask and I shall share more detailed info. Like what we did and how we did it and what happened as a result or what folks like Weaver and Casitllo were like...I feel bad for Cele...

anyways...

I have also been thinking about the Rangers.... How they would react in a SitX event... I have to think that they would rise to the call and do all in their power to maintain order and civility...But I do not think the same of the Border Patrol... I think the BP would do a border clamp down and follow all Federal instruction...I have had mixed dealings with those folks.... for my experience they seem more loyal to money than the idea of the LoneStar...

I know all our local law enforcement folks would all act individually... Some would comply with fed orders and some would resist and some would just get the heck outta dodge...and them some might do far worse.... Like what happened in Jerichos sister city. God forbid they follow Perrys orders...

....

Ok onto springtime and Blue Bonnets....

Originally posted by Jenna
reply to post by desertdreamer

Okay, that is a really good piece of writing. I am already getting a good feeling for the character. Okay, so tell me again where you are going to go with the background on her. I really like the fact that she can obviously pick locks, she is good with tools if she can make her own set, and she is a survivalist. I just want to make sure I understand where she will be fitting in. Obviously she will meet the main characters later, but will she be a part of the hacker underground/conspiracy theorists? Or will she be a part of the grass roots militia? And what location is she in right now? I saw carta valley.....is that in or near El Paso? Forgive me if it is....I have not been there in a long time! LOL. Look forward to hearing from you!




[edit on 23-9-2009 by desertdreamer]

Originally posted by titorite
reply to post by desertdreamer

Thanks for the insight Titorite. I think that we should do a grass roots militia movement. That way we can just incorporate what we want, and don't have to go by any pre-conceived notions of what people think the militia is or should be. I remember a long time ago, out in the country not far from where I live, you used to be able to hear .50 cal gunfire. There was a militia out there training with it.

Yes, fireworks are normally not allowed in the city limits. That was kind of why I put the cops stopping by the end of the party inquiring about fireworks going off in the area in the story. Not sure if any of those are still in business...have not been to El Paso in years. Sure would love some CHICOS TACOS though! LOL

As far as Perry, I am not real impressed with the guy either....but he did get a raised eyebrow from the rest of the country when he talked about Texas Secession earlier in the year...LOL

I believe you are correct about the Texas Rangers and the TXDPS, they would be hardcore law enforcement, and would do their jobs in trying to keep civil order. And yes, the border patrol would have their hands full when they closed all the border crossings. They would follow federal protocols for sure, and in areas like El Paso, may even be involved in the roundup of people listed as having guns, militia, known conspiracy theorists, etc.

I think you have some great ideas going here...keep running with them! Great job!

reply to post by desertdreamer


I'm from Indiana so I had to do some research last night while I was writing to find a suitable area in Texas that was close to Uvalde that she could be camping in since that is the town mentioned in the first post of the story. I can easily change the area she's in before she gets brought into the story to bring her closer to El Paso though. I checked on Google maps just now and Carta Valley is about 7 and a half hours away from El Paso.

Originally I was going to have her sneak onto a military base since a lot of them have some pretty open areas that are off-limits to civilians but aren't constantly in use. I couldn't decide if that would be close enough to where the main characters are for them to eventually run into each other though so I changed it. If she needs to be closer to El Paso though I can change it back and have her sneak onto an unused portion of Ft. Bliss near the Franklin Mountains State Park, or in the park itself, since it's nearby.

For her background, since her dad has made sure she can survive outside civilization I'm thinking that he is part of the militia so naturally he has taught her how to handle a firearm and has taken her with him when he meets with the rest. So while she hasn't actually joined a militia, she's spent a lot of time around them and the first place she'll go when everything goes to crap is to the people she knows. That'll put her in the right place to meet the main characters when the militia comes into the story.

She's very good with tools and turning one thing into another (the lock picks for example), which should come in handy when it comes to rebuilding if the story goes that direction. I did have the tools she needed to make the lock picks in there originally but decided I'd be giving instructions on how to do it and took it out. She was a gymnast so she's in good shape and is use to pushing herself further than she thinks she can go. That also means she's very determined and focused which will come in handy if there's something difficult that needs to be accomplished.

In regards to your other post about story line ideas, I like the idea of the militia already being in existance. Maybe once the bombs drop the militia could split in two with some wanting to assist in the lock down/round-ups and the rest resisting? That would tie in what Titorite was saying about some of them being either unwilling or unable to stand up for everyone as well as what you'd said about not having to go by preconceived notions.

For the bombs themselves, perhaps a rogue nation somehow hacked into our security systems and prevented the nukes from launching correctly, but the government/military didn't realize it until it was too late or something like that? I don't really know how the systems are so that may not be something that would be very realistic, but it's a thought I had.

Originally posted by Jenna
reply to post by desertdreamer

Since she is having so many problems connecting with her Dad, maybe we could have her run away when things look like they are going to take a turn for the worst. She could hitch hike to the El Paso area, maybe because she heard there were remote areas in the desert with caves for protection (which there actually are).

Sneaking onto a base...hmmmmm...you know what, there is a base in the middle of nowhere that I did some time at when I was in the Army. It is called MacGregor Range...it actually exists, and you can see it on Google earth. We may be able to use that in our story. Either as a base for the government where they are rounding up dissidents and bringing them there as a labor camp maybe? Or we could take over the base at some point and use it as a stronghold if it is abandoned by the military.

I like the idea of her leaving her Dad and hitch hiking....then after the SHTF, she can feel bad about her decision. We could make it a whole sidebar trip where she leaves for a few months and travels back to where he was to see if he made it. maybe even have her find him, and he is with his militia, and they decide to join with the militia in our story...WOW, we could go a long way with this! Great lead off idea Jenna!

I like the idea of her being strong willed, and good with tools. I think that going into how she actually made, or uses the tools in detail would be a great addition to the story. Just have to figure out where we will put it. It will really put the reader into her character!

I think we are still kind of up in the air about how all this actually happens. I will do some more research, then we can put all the ideas into a list form and take a look at them and see what we all think.

Excellent collaboration! Good Job!

reply to post by desertdreamer


Those are some really good ideas! Since she's already took off and is headed for the wilderness, we could bring her in right before the SHTF so that she's separated from her dad when it happens. Knowing that he's in a militia and big on survival skills she'd concentrate on saving her own hide and trust him to make it out alive after a few moments of hesitation.

I like the idea of her having second thoughts and trying to find him later on and his militia deciding to come join the main characters. Perhaps the main characters could have a home base that's easier to defend than the militia does so they could agree to providing more firepower in exchange for shelter? I'm getting way ahead of where the storyline currently is though.

I'll rework the part I've already written a bit to add in what she tools she buys and then start working on what she's doing right before and after the SHTF. Before it happens she can be working on her new lock picks and planning to get further away from home than she already is. So then when everything goes to crap she can follow through on her plans, just for a different reason than when she started making them.

Back to the story line, I'll do some brainstorming as well and see if I can come up with any more ideas about how everything actually happens. I think once we get that part figured out the rest will fall into place a bit easier. Are we still going with some form of nuclear attack?

I GOT IT!

In light of the recent secession threads we could work our story around the growing movement for Texas to secede.

We could work in the popular new secession party with the one main platform of leaving the Union!

With our candidate having unprecedented support against Perrys 5th term. And on the eve of our Candidates win BOOM the event.

We could have a false flag terrorist nuke in the city where our guy is giving a speech.

OR

We could have our guy assassinated then the Texans get worked up over an obvious political assassination with martial law being declared and the ensuing war breaking out...

I like the idea of a secession party... with a winning candidate..who falls to foul play... then martial law and the rebellion....

Union NWO troops....

The Texas internet being cut off from the other states...

News by short wave and word of mouth....

Maybe New Mexico joining the Texas rebellion a few months latter...

What do you guys think of that being our SitX for our story?

reply to post by titorite


I like that!

If the federal government was trying to regain control of the state, they'd naturally lock down the borders and try to contain everyone. Could have some EMP's set off all over the state which would take out most phones, computers, televisions and cars, effectively eliminating any attempts to contact the outside world and leaving the people in Texas thinking it's country-wide and not realizing the damages are localized to their state.

reply to post by Jenna


Ooooooo Now thats good there...Our secession candidate bites the dust in the chaos that ensues.... insure he will not be able to lead us.... the lights go out..lots of panic... gun shots and then hes dead and Texas is offline.... having to rely on FEMA ....


......

And we will never forget Katrina so we KNOW not to trust FEMA...



[edit on 23-9-2009 by titorite]

[edit on 23-9-2009 by titorite]