Ft Ashland

Ft Ashland

Word count 298

Sam Adams was a college professor of SF literature at Southern Oregon State University in Southern Oregon. He had gotten his Ph.D. at Bowling State University, where he focused on post-apocalyptic literature. His best friends were the Mayor of Ashland, Patrick Wilson, and the Police chief, Alfonso Wilson. They played poker together once a week. They talked about everything and often talked about post-apocalyptic fiction. They shared the concern that the US was not ready for what might be coming. The international situation was crazy, with China, North Korea, and the Iranians talking about nuclear war.

One day, after watching the news, the power went out all over town, and all electronic equipment fizzled out. Sam walked to the Mayor and the Police chief who asked Sam,

“So, Professor, what happened?”

“First, I brought some gifts. Beer and a copy of the Stars and Stripes newsletter where they talked about what happen, if the so-called balloon went up. Listen, I knew that would happen. It was an EMP weapon – a nuclear weapon deployed to wipe out electronics and electricity over the targeted area. No doubt nuclear war has started as the US arsenal is shielded. I believe that we need to have a town hall and build a Fort around town because well the apocalypse has started, and things are going too bad fast."

They started construction of Ft Ashland that afternoon. Unfortunately, Sam was right, World War 111 had started, and the nuclear bombs caused massive fires but then caused so much smoke that the sunlight failed and within two years the beginnings of the new ice age had replaced global warming. Because of the work of the committee and the building of Ft. Ashland, they survived when the rest of the world perished.

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Prompt for 8/1
Write a story that includes the line: “I knew that would happen”
Prompt for 8/2
Write a story that includes the words: stripes, gift, listen

Note: Based on my unpublished novel, "Ft Ashland".