Chapter Fourteen

“This food isn’t very good,” Ben whispered to the couple seated across the table from him. “And there’s no salt on the table.” He looked around the dining room. “There’s no salt on any of the tables.”

“You can ask for a salt substitute,” Nancy returned the whisper. “Pure salt is illegal.”

Ben blinked a couple of times. “When the hell did all that take place?”

“Officially, last week,” David replied. “It came under the new Health Food Act. There hasn’t been any press on it. Not yet, anyway.”

“What the hell is that?” Ben asked. “I’ve always known Osterman and Millard were weird. But no salt?”

Nancy smiled, saying, “It’s not just salt, Ben. Nothing cooked in lard or grease can be served to the public or used at home. French fries are a thing of the past. Anything deep fried is illegal.”

Ben forgot his food and just stared across the table in disbelief at the couple. “You’re putting me on!”

David and Nancy laughed, David saying, “Nope. ‘Fraid

 

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not, Ben. No real bacon can be served in restaurants, either. It’s not good for you. Can’t buy it in stores. Only on the black market. Turkey bacon is all that is allowed. But some of it’s really not bad … once you get used to it.”

“No foods of high fat content are allowed,” Nancy said. “That’s new Federal law. It went into effect last week. The people must be protected.”

“From themselves,” David added.

“Good God!” Ben blurted. “Has the damn government gone crazy?”

Both David and Nancy quickly and quietly shushed him. David looked around furtively and said, “Be careful, Ben. You never know who might be listening, and who will report you. It’s not wise to criticize the government. You have to be careful not to get on the government’s subversive list. Once you’re on it, it’s almost impossible to get off.”

“What the hell happened to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?” Ben whispered.

“They’re being reinterpreted and rewritten,” Nancy said. “That isn’t official yet. But it’s happening as we speak.”

“Cigarettes are illegal,” Ben said. “Now you tell me that any type of fatty food is illegal. What’s next?”

“Sport utility vehicles and full size pickup trucks are about to be banned,” David replied. “All cars and trucks are to be approximately the same size. One driver won’t have an advantage over another in any type of accident.”

“How about eighteen wheelers?” Ben asked, pushing the plate of bland food away from him. It was awful: tasteless and devoid of any spices.

“They’re next,” Nancy said. “As soon as the government figures out how to move materials in a safer manner. It’s whispered that congress is talking about building highways for large trucks only.”

“That would sure put a lot of people back to work,” David remarked, sarcasm thick in his voice.

 

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“It certainly would,” Ben agreed. “For about the next century or so.”

“The new order is moving very quickly now,” Nancy said. “The press seems to be solidly behind them, and the government appears to be unstoppable.”

“That figures,” Ben said. “About the press, I mean. And you folks are going to do what about it?”

The husband and wife shrugged their shoulders. “What can we do?”

There were a number of things Ben thought of suggesting, but he held his tongue. He didn’t really know these people, and there was a real possibility they might not be who they claimed to be. The paranoia and suspicion that seemed to prevail all around Ben was beginning to lightly grip him.

Nancy seemed to read his thoughts. She touched Ben on the hand. “Infectious, isn’t it? The mood, I mean?”

“Yes,” Ben said. “It sure is.”

“Wondering about us, aren’t you?” David asked.

“That thought passed through my mind, yes. I have to admit that.”

“We don’t blame you, Ben. We’re both wondering about you, too. You just don’t know much about what’s been going on in America.”

Ben decided to take a chance. “The USA, you mean.”

Both husband and wife visibly paled. Ben immediately lost much of his suspicion of the pair. No way they could fake that. They both were plenty scared. “Ben,” Nancy said softly, “don’t even mention the SUSA, not ever! To anybody else.”

“It’s too dangerous,” David whispered. “People who have said good things about that part of the country have gotten into a lot of trouble.”

“Arrested?”

“Detained for a period of time and questioned,” Nancy said. “And sometimes the questioning can be harsh, if you know what I mean.”

“Yes,” Ben replied. “I can imagine.”

 

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The three were silent for a few minutes. None of them ate much of their supper. Finally Ben said, ?Where do you two call home?”

“New Muncie,” Nancy replied, spreading some of the worst tasting oleo Ben had ever had the misfortune to put in his mouth on a slice of bread. She smiled. “A lot of towns and cities around the country have New in front of the original name, although the maps usually leave that off.”

“I’ve noticed that,” Ben said. Then he lowered his voice. “I guess General Raines and his Rebels pretty well destroyed most of the cities and larger towns.”

“They did what they believed they had to do,” David said cautiously.

“Oh, I’m not faulting them,” Ben quickly replied. He shook his head. “Have you ever seen the ruins of Los Angeles? No? It’s a sight to behold. It will be a long time before everything is cleared. Years before rebuilding is complete.”

“You live near Los Angeles?”

“Oh, no. I’m located in Northern California. But I’ve been down to Los Angeles several times on business. It’s certainly something to see. When did the state to state border passes stop in this part of America?”

“Only a few weeks ago,” David said. “All the guards were shifted down south, if you know what I mean.”

Ben nodded his head. He knew. They had all been shifted down to the border with the SUSA … all two thousand or so miles of it. “The way it looks and sounds to me, there might be a war shaping up between the two nations.”

David sighed. “That wouldn’t surprise me at all. But General Raines has said he’ll use chemical warfare against the USA. I just don’t believe he means it.” David cut his eyes to see if anyone were listening. No one was. “Ben, we’re all Americans. Borders can’t change that. What can those of us outside the … well, that other nation … do to change things? To live peacefully side by side?”

 

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Ben knew, of course, but he was hesitant to say the words aloud.

“I know, I know,” David said. “At least I think I know what you’re going to say. But we’re unarmed, Ben. And I mean totally unarmed. We can’t fight… what do we fight with? Getting caught with a gun in your possession means hard jail time. God, all this … mess we’re in just quietly slipped up on us.”

Ben had to smile at that. “Did it, David? Did it really just slip up on us?”

David stared at Ben for a moment. Then he exhaled in frustration. “OK, Ben,” he whispered. “So it didn’t. All right, we let it. But that doesn’t answer my question. What can we do about it now?”

“I can’t answer that, David. That’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself.”

“I guess I knew that all along.” His eyes twinkled for a few seconds and he added, “Of course, even if you did know the answer, you’d be hesitant to discuss it with someone you’ve only known for an hour, right?”

“Wouldn’t you be, David?”

“Sure. Sure, I would. Well, where are you off to in the morning?”

“North, David. I have business up north.”

They lingered awhile longer over really lousy coffee and talked of small things. Nothing more was said about the government. After a few minutes, Ben said goodnight and excused himself, heading to the rear of the motel complex for a smoke. He was not surprised to find half a dozen other people there, puffing away. They fell silent at Ben’s approach. It was a very uncomfortable silence.

After Ben had lit up and taken a couple of drags, one of the women in the group of sneaky smokers said, “Oh, to hell with it. If he’s a government informer then he’ll just have to go ahead and report me. If I want a cigarette, I’m by God going to smoke one. Fuck the government!”

Ben chuckled and said, “If you folks are worried about

 

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me, you can relax. I’m not a government agent. I’m just passing through on my way up north.”

“It’s not agents we’re worried about, mister,” one of the men said. “It’s local informers you have to watch out for.”

“Yeah,” another man said. “Lousy left-wing bastards and bitches. They get special privileges for informing on people who break the rules.”

“When the hell did the voters pass all these crummy assed rules and regulations?” a woman asked.

“We didn’t,” another in the group said. “Osterman and Millard and those people decide what is good for the people. But the people don’t have anything to say about it.”

“It’s communism,” another said.

“It’s very close to it. But it started out as socialism,” Ben said. “Many years before the Great War and the collapse. But socialism is the first step toward communism. The people just couldn’t, or wouldn’t, believe it. Many tried to warn people what was happening, but they weren’t taken seriously. They were called anti-government and government haters.”

“Yeah, I remember that,” a man said. “I wish to hell I’d joined one of those groups back then.”

“I know what I’m going to do,” a woman said. “I’m moving to the SUSA.”

“Lady,” a man said. “You’re taking a hell of a chance just speaking those words aloud.”

“You sure are,” Ben said. “The damn government can arrest you for treason, or some other ridiculous charge.”

“Not only can they arrest you,” a man said out of the darkness, “they do.”

“Buddy of mine was hauled in for questioning,” another said. “The federal goons didn’t hurt him, but the questioning was long and very intense. Scared the crap out of my buddy.”

“We’ve sure reached a sorry state of affairs in this country,” a woman said, toeing out her cigarette.

 

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“With no end in sight,” the man standing next to her added.

“Well, there is a civil war shaping up,” someone said. “Maybe it will get all straightened out after that’s over.”

“I like some of what the SUSA offers,” a woman said. “But the way I hear it they’ve got some pretty restrictive laws on the books down there.”

“You’re getting your information from the government owned radio and TV,” a man countered. “Who the hell would believe what any of those people have to say?”

“Who the hell would believe anything the press says?” another offered. “I remember during the last few years before the collapse, there were only a few reporters I’d pay any attention to. They’re all gone now.”

“Most of them are working for the newspapers and TV stations down in the SUSA. I’ve seen and heard and read them when I was visiting down close to the border. There is a hell of a lot of difference between the news down there and what we get up here.”

“Yes,” Ben said. “I’ve visited friends who live along the border with the SUSA. It’s straight, hard facts down there. And if it’s in print or on the air they’d better get it right the first time, and every time after that.”

“I heard that if a politician distorts the truth or twists the words of his opponent, or just blatantly lies, the press is all over that person with both feet,” a woman said, lighting up another smoke.

“You bet they are,” Ben replied. “I’ve personally heard them do it.”

“Smokes out!” a man said in a stage whisper. “The cops are here.”

Ben dropped his cigarette and toed it out, then stepped back against the side of the building just as two uniformed men came around the building, flashlights in their hands.

The woman who had first vocalized her contempt for the government stood calmly, puffing on her cigarette. There was no back up in her.

“You there!” one of the men in black uniforms said.

 

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?What’s the matter with you? Put out that cigarette. You’re in violation of the National Health Act.”

“Screw you!” the woman said, and took another puff.

“We got us a real mouthy one this time,” the other cop said. ?Where did you get those cigarettes, lady? Give us a name, and we won’t write you up.”

“Go to hell,” the woman said. “I’m not bothering a soul by smoking out here. Go catch a crook or something.”

The other cop grabbed her and twisted her arm behind her, snapping on one cuff. Then he twisted the other arm and clamped the cuff on that wrist.

“Get out of here!” the second cop told Ben and the others. “And keep your mouths shut about what you just saw. Move, goddamnit!”

“Whatever you say, officer,” a man said.

The crowd of smokers faded into the darkness and Ben walked slowly back to his room. It was hard for him to believe what he had just witnessed had actually happened.

“Unbelievable,” he muttered.

Then he realized that perhaps it wasn’t so difficult to believe, after all. The ultimate goal of the enviro-freaks, the ultra liberals, the feminazis, the hard left wingers, the anti-gun crowd, the give-me-something-for-nothing crowd, the government-knows-everything-Big-Brother crowd and their timid little don’t-hit-me-I’ll-sue-you groupies, had always been to control the lives of everybody who didn’t agree with them.

Ben stood in front of his room and watched the patrol car leave with the hollering, cussing, kicking woman in the backseat. He turned his head as another woman from the smoking group walked up.

“What’ll happen to that woman?” Ben asked.

“Oh, she’ll be fined and given a lecture by the judge. If her attitude hasn’t improved any, and she lips off to the judge, she might be sent to a reindoctrination camp.”

“Are you putting me on, lady?”

The woman laughed. “No. Not at all. Those camps just

 

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opened in this area last week. They’ve been a very successful government secret for several months now.” She stepped closer to Ben. “We need to talk, General Raines,” she whispered. “Right now. In your room.”

 

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