BBOT What If?

The news was all over the radio and TV. Everyone had to know, especially after 65 days with no end in sight. I spent a lot of time on the internet and especially on ATS. Conspiracy is my weakness. I can’t resist a good one and ATS is like going to a banquet. I had read all sorts of interesting ideas, but in the end, what really mattered was “Plug the damn hole!” which was still weeks away.
Living in Texas, just shy of the Louisiana border isn’t very comforting. I have had pulmonary problems since 2006. Now I am worried about the new tropical storm. This one might blow up into a hurricane. If it heads this way, should I flee? I don’t want to leave home. I love everything about my place. If I go, I will need to pack, take the cats, the dog, and the bird…plus get a portable oxygen unit to go with me. I’ll think about it tomorrow.
July 10
Well, I waited too long. All the portable units are gone, the storm has just reached cat 1 status and I’m still here. Maybe it won’t be so bad. Cat 1 is manageable. I’ve been through one before, so I will be OK this time.
July 11 Morning
It started raining early this morning. It wasn’t the nice fresh smell of rain. I fed the cats on the back porch. They looked sad. I would bring them in , but I don’t have a cat box. The house is pretty safe, they can stay underneath. They know something’s on the way, they sure gobbled down every scrap of food.
July 11 Noon
The rain is getting worse. The rain is pelting the house and the electricity went is on and off. The rain is oily. It distorts the yard through the windows. Lady, my dobie, whines occasionally and paces from one window to another. It’s still a cat 1. Won’t get worse that this since the eye just made landfall.
July 11 Later Afternoon
The electricity has been off for a couple of hours now. I still have a battery radio. I’ll just check every hour to save power. Guess I’ll have to sleep in the chair. Since I won’t have oxygen tonight, I can breathe better sitting up. At least I was smart enough to fill the tub so I can flush and I filled a lot of bottles with water.
July 11 Night
It’s so dark. I have a candle, but I’m afraid to let it burn while I sleep. At least Lady is at my feet. She gives me a lot of comfort. I wish it was morning. There is still a lot of wind and rain, nothing sever now, but it’s only midnight. Hurry dawn.
July 12 Sunrise
Hooray! I can finally see outside again. I hope they get my electricity back today, I hate to sleep sitting up. Well, the cats made it and the big tree out front is still standing, but it smells of oil and things are lightly coated. I don’t know how I will be able to clean up the house or the yard. I wonder if it will kill the plants. What if we get hit by a worse storm later this year…

Wow...... that is heartbreaking. The most wrenching thing is... it may very well be what is close to come.

I think one of the worst things about this whole mess is the unknown. We really have no idea what is going to happen at this point. It leaves so many people in a state of worry.... the smart ones, anyway....

Yes, it's the unkown that really scares us.
What will happen? What won't be affected?
What can you do to be ready for all the possiblities?

I loved the story, but the idea behind it is disturbing.

Well done!

reply to post by shapeshiftress


That was really good!

Oops! Forgot the second line lol

[edit on 17-6-2010 by Wayne60]

Thanks for the encouragement.

Makes me want to write another story.

Such a sad, yet possible outcome. Great storyline!

reply to post by shapeshiftress


Aw man that poor person....

hopefully this does not happen, I can't even imagin how people would rive in such a day after situation. Normally we depend on the rain to take all the oil and slick off the roads not the other way around. Now just imagine what impacts it would have on the rest of a persons normal life. Scary.

Great Story, Thanks for the great read.

Shapeshiftress,
Hi. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news.....but I don't think they will be turning the electricity back on. I am just two streets over from you, and they are sending patrols door to door to inform everyone of evacuation.

It appears that the greasy rain has damaged a lot of equipment...caps and connectors and such, and other technical things that we do not understand. They are also having to cut off the water supplies as there has been possible contamination to the treatment plant which had pools exposed to the elements. They say it will take some time to have everything tested and make sure that poisonous compounds from the dispersents are not in the water and that oil is not clogging the filters.

Anyway, hope you have your bag packed. The MIB just said we have thirty minutes and we are to wait at the curb for the church bus to pick us up.

Right now when they come to your door they are asking for everyone's identification and taking a head count. They are writing down all the info so that no one gets left behind.

I wonder where we are going to end up now?

reply to post by Alethea


Sounds dire to me. Well, I don't leave without Lady! All the oil smell had been making my throat sore and I have been coughing more. I'll just lock up and head up North. How much of the area is being evacuated. Any idea how far I will have to drive to be safe?

reply to post by shapeshiftress


It's too late to decide where you might have driven. Everyone is being ESCORTED. Mandatory.

They are sending church buses and school buses around to collect everyone and they have closed the entrance/exit to gated and cul de sac communities.

I just got a call from ****. He tried to drive his family out and they were stopped at choke point about 1/4 mile from house.

No one is being allowed to leave in their own vehicles. Roads are closed to all traffic except the patrols and the buses.

Go figure.

reply to post by shapeshiftress


I serously felt bad reading this.I looked at my husband and told him to read it.I hope it does not happen nor happen's worse than that

reply to post by Alethea


Yeah, I just reacted to the news, but the I started to wonder why? Everyone expected some oil and it's not so bad, can't be that.
I read a thread that said the oil may be a bit more radioactive than usual, but that would be gone after one good shower.
You know, that oil was coming up from a very primative and isolated place. I wonder it if had some new kind of virus or germ in it. I remember some of the workers getting sick. Everyone thought it was the toxcitiy of the oil. I wonder it that wasn't it? Maybe they are quarentining us to see who succumbs. So if I can't run, maybe I can hide. I better get moving...

There were several busloads of people at the church parking lot when we got there. It seems they were gathered from another area of the community....we didn't know anyone. Perhaps they have some "strategic pattern" in the way they are bringing people in.

When we got inside, they had a maze of tables, paperwork stations and such set up for us to travel through. Also they had armed security officers (not our local law enforcement) stationed throughout the place. I thought it was very odd to see people with weapons in the church fellowship hall.

Before we were admitted into the main hall, we were all swiped with a metal detector and they took away all cell phones. We were not allowed to carry our luggage into the building. As I went in the door, I could see they had security off-loading our luggage and it was going into another wing of the church facility. They gave us labels to stick our name and address on the luggage when we first boarded the busses and we were all allowed only one medium suitcase.

They said any cell phone transmissions might intefere with emergency broadcast systems and that's why they were taking all communication devices. Most people just complacently gave it up.

I saw what was coming and devised a quick plan and was able to smuggle this in so I can text to you.

There were some resistors in the neighborhood that did not want to come. I have heard whispers that those who did not come will be quarrantined.

That might explain the trucks I saw on the way in. They were carrying barbed wire, welding equipment, and concrete drills. It will be pretty easy to blockade gated communities. And they will probably bust up the roads in strategic locations so people can't drive through.

Almost time to go through the line here. Gotta go.

P.S.

Forgot to mention that when the patrols came door to door....everything was peaceful. The resistors did not gather in the street to riot or protest or anything.

When the men came to the door they were very professional, polite and matter of fact. It was odd that they said the evacuation was "Voluntary Mandatory". Seemed like a strange conflict of words. But anyway, people were told they had to be on the curb in 30 minutes or would be left behind. That's just the way they left it. No one was forced or coerced.

In this world of duality, decisions are always made to appear as though we have a choice. But often seems what ever choice you make will be equally as trying. Eat the apple or not? Live in ignorance and subservience or seek knowledge? Both have their share of trials.

Anyway, you don't have to "hide". You just have to decide.

[edit on 20-6-2010 by Alethea]

reply to post by shapeshiftress


Very good! I love it. Diaries. I love hearing people's thoughts.

I like the cool little mini-collaboration going on too.

Anyway, don't know how I missed this one, trying to keep up!

This is a fine story.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


Thanks for the encouragement!

Alethea:
Well, I don't have a canary, but the love birds haven't died, so I don't think its too much methane. I can't image what nefarious reasons the gov't might have for doing this, but when they came here, I was already gone. Dad was a wiley old coot who never trusted anyone. He built a secret room and Lady and I hid. My biggest problem was keeping her still. I left a note on the table near the birds.
It said, "Dear Roger, I left food out for the birds, but I hope to be back soon. If I'm not back tomorrow, just feed them for me. My son will pick me up in about an hour. Thanks so much."
So, now here I am still wondering what's up. Have you heard anything that might tell us what has happened to precipitate this kind of reaction??

Originally posted by shapeshiftress
Have you heard anything that might tell us what has happened to precipitate this kind of reaction??

That is a very good question, Shapeshiftress. All I can tell you is that even with the lights on, we are still in the dark!

They are using back-up generator here, btw. Is your secret room at or near your house on ****St. or did you go out of town? What does it look like in the neighborhood? Do you see many people around? Have you been out?


We spent the day here going through "Processing" and something about all this makes me think this is not a temporary evacuation. There is too much effort in gathering information to not be wary of something more complex behind all this.

The people who are "processing" us are wearing dark blue uniforms but there is no insignia on them, so I don't know really where they are from or what company or entity they are with. No clue as to whether they are government, or Fema, or private security. And they are very short and curt about people asking any questions.

The first booth, they made copies of our ID and asked basic questions. We did not fill out any papers. They conducted each interview personally, one on one, and typed the answers in their computers. It was just the basics like name, ss, birthday, race, religion, organizational affiliations, marital status, children, parents, etc.

While she was asking questions, she said "put your hand here". There was a black plastic thing---it looked like a tall ashtray sort of. She didn't tell me what it was and did not break her line of questioning of identity questions. I was just so overwhelmed with all that was going on, plus the fact that the woman was so matter of fact and smooth, that I did not even question or think about what I was doing. I did not know till later when my daughter told me---that the black plastic thing was a "palm scanner". They are getting bio scans on us. More non-disclosure. Oh well, too late.

At the end of the interview, she said "Can you read the sign for me?" and without turning around, she pointed up over her shoulder toward the wall. When I looked up to read it, there was a quick flash. I asked "Did you just take my picture?" She didn't answer my question, but just continued her speech like she was a robot or something. How quickly she distracted me in pointing out that I could now go to the next booth where they were serving refreshments. I was so hungry, and the thought of food sent me off in a hurry.

The "refreshments" were the worst tasting processed turkey sandwiches I have ever tried to eat. The meat was so fake tasting, the bread was dry as puffed paper, and the coffee was already gone.

Btw, they were only processing the adults and the kids were gathered into another area watching TV in the main room. I would have been very concerned if they had tried to interrogate my children without me or Bob being there.

There was more weariness of questions....won't go into it now, but at the end of it, we were all finally issued two blankets and a pillow and everyone slept on the floor in the fellowship hall where they usually open on cold nights for the homeless.

I guess people will be waking up in another hour or so. Wondering what this day will bring.....

Let me know what's going on in the neighborhood and if you have gotton electricity back or not. I hope we can get out of here soon, but honestly, it feels like we have just been put on a treadmill.


Alethea

reply to post by Alethea


That is just surreal! How many people are at the church? Can you walk outside? Could you just walk away, or would they stop you?

Well I have a little info. I am a talk radio junkie, so I bought a little sw-pocket radio last year. It runs on batteries. Reception stinks, all the local stations are down. Houston fades in and out, but from what I can gather the MSM are saying it's just a normal thing - stop looters, protect property, blah, blah, blah...

It's the sw that's interesting. The area they have locked down is from the coast to about 10 miles north of here. It's about 25 miles wide. No one is sure exactly why. I'll keep listening, but I think they started jamming it.

I will keep an eye out for other folks,but plan to stay inside most of the day. Helicopters overfly the area periodically. I can't get far from a place to hide because I can't run very far with a bad lung. I haven't seen anyone, but I think one of the hams is in the area. Could be why they are jamming it.
I sent a text to my son and ask him to see what he can find out. Do you have family outside? Maybe they can help.
If there is a way in here my two sons will find it. They know I stayed. I have food, but am low on water. I'll check around the neighborhood after dark. Stay safe, keep in touch.

Originally posted by shapeshiftress
reply to post by Alethea

 

That is just surreal! How many people are at the church? Can you walk outside? Could you just walk away, or would they stop you?

There are probably about 300 adults here; I haven't counted the kids. The first day we were pretty much separated as the kids were being entertained with movies in the rec hall while adults were going through processing.

I suppose we could walk outside....some of the smokers have. I heard them grumbling as some of the church officials told them that smoking on God's property is not allowed. Some still sneak out and do it, I'm sure.

I suppose we could walk away at any time...but lol! where would we go? There are downed trees and power lines, it's still raining off and on, and we are about twenty miles from home. From what we have been told, businesses in the area are closed. There is no power, no water in much of the area and traffic is blocked and diverted.

What happened yesterday was unnerving.

Soon after I texted you, the blue shirts came in and started shaking everyone awake. It was 4:30 am for godsakes! We were told there was to be an urgent meeting in the sanctuary.....

Gotta go, someone's coming....