The Siege of New Hampshire

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. For additional content, consider becoming a member at: Buy Me A Coffee or Patreon

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. For additional content, consider becoming a member at: Buy Me A Coffee or Patreon

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. Now there is a Patreon page for Siege fans. Check it out: https://www.patreon.com/mic_roland

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. Here is the link for those asked who asked how they could 'buy me a coffee': https://www.buymeacoffee.com/microland

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. If you've been enjoying the story, consider buying me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/microland

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.

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 [email protected]

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.

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.