Anti-assimilation army: A Spark

Chapter 13

Internment Camps

Placed in a transport vehicle heading east to the Midwest, Brian was glad that at least his family and the Hayes were grouped together in the same vehicle. Joel was comforting Alex, as her eyes grew large with fright, watching her familiar neighbourhoods of Aldergrove, Abbotsford and Chilliwack began to be replaced by foreign towns, strange forests and mountains as they headed Southeast. She felt so vulnerable and scared that she gripped Joel’s hand tightly, as if worried she would lose him too. They passed mountain after mountain, and a half hour later, the officers passed out clipboards to write down their names and former occupations. When the board was passed to Brian’s hands, he scanned the previous entries and noted there were quite a few health care workers and officers before writing down the entry for himself and his family. 

Brian Lee Age: 40  Occupation: GIS Analyst

Samantha Lee Age: 41 Occupation: Nurse

When it came to enter Joel’s information, he had to ask Samantha, just to double check if he recalled his age correctly. Finishing the sign-up, he handed the board back to the officer, and looked out the window to see snow on the ground; evidence of the flurries that had fallen earlier that morning.

With the rest of his family and the Hayes dozing off in the hours-long trip, Brian noticed that the bus turned and headed south through an area that he had never seen before. Forests and mountains gave way to grasses and flat land, similar to what one might see in the Canadian Prairies. Thinking to himself, Brian wondered where they would end up after the nightmare of their internment was over. Midwest…maybe Oklahoma or Mississippi. Most likely will be working on farms.

Never in a million years would Brian have expected to work on a farm. Back in Vancouver, he had finished his post-graduate degree in GIS and was earning nearly seventy grand a year, compared to a measly twenty or thirty grand a farmhand might make in a good year with overtime. 

That Master’s Degree isn’t going to help us now…

Suddenly, he felt Samantha pat his hand, acknowledging that she knew he was worried. “It’ll be alright Honey, we’ll figure things out just like we always do.”

He then closed his eyelids as if pretending to be annoyed by her before trying to make light of being caught deep in thought. “Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping dear? Instead of spying on your doting husband?”

“I’ve known you for nearly twenty years, you don’t think I know when you’re perplexed about something? You’re like a dog with its tail between its legs.” 

She then rubbed his back and smiled at him as his emotions began to flow out.

“It’s just…I never imagined I’d be so helpless, unable to protect you, our kids or even myself. I had dreams of growing old together with you in our own house, visiting the grandkids every week and playing bingo at the hall.”

“At least we’ve still got each other, right? Well, other than our vigilante son who wanted to take on the entire American army himself.”

After giving a silent warning look to his wife, Brian chuckled a little at the thought of Arthur single handedly vanquishing the invading Americans, he fell back to reality and hoped that his son would survive the onslaught so that he could hold tightly onto him just like old times.

After dozing off with the rest of the internment group, the transport bus suddenly stopped and the officers began yelling at the people to slowly file out of the vehicle. Grabbing what belongings they had left, they stepped outside into a dusty, remote town, with a sea of tall grass as far as the eye could see. 

Lining up among dozens of other families to register their entry to the camp, they walked slowly to their new home; a small cabin with two bunk beds and a desk. The outhouses were located outside, and all the homes shared a common wash building, to shower or do the laundry. Meals were handed out at the dining building, and it seemed this was the central hub of the community where families got a chance to talk to others in the camp.

Before settling in, everyone was herded into the common grounds outside to listen to the rules being given by the head officer. With a voice that sounded like a sports broadcaster, he began outlining their responsibilities and expected behaviour during their time in the camp.

“Men and boys over the age of fourteen are expected to work seven hours a day in the fields, while women and children are to work on sowing and making garments. The harder you work, the more privileges you will receive, including day passes. Your time at this camp is set at a minimum of three years before you will be released to resettle anywhere in the United States or elsewhere in the world. You may not return to Canada and must never attempt to rebuild your lost homes. For those who misbehave, they will be given strikes, and once you have three strikes, you will serve a mandatory thirty days locked up in solitary confinement.”

As the officer finished his spiel, the Canadians dispersed back to their cabins, talking amongst themselves in hushed tones, fearful of being overheard by the guards.

While Samantha and Brian began unpacking their belongings, Joel excused himself, telling his parents that he wanted to find out where Alex’s cabin was located.

As he walked eagerly past several cabins, Joel realized that unless Alex was outside, he didn’t have a hope of finding her cabin. So, he decided to yell Alex’s name every time he passed a cabin, and hopefully she would hear it and open up her door.

“Alex! Alex! Are you there Alex?”

Joel then passed by several other people who were looking at him strangely, he finally arrived at a cabin with Alex peering through the half-opened door, curious after hearing her name called.

“Alex! Thank goodness, I finally found you!” said Joel as he hugged her tightly.

Alex asked where he was staying, wondering how far they were from each other.

“We’re in the cabin across from the dining building. About a ten-minute walk from here. So how you guys settling in?” 

“I still can’t get over the smell of the outhouses. Reminds me of the trip we had in university to a local wastewater treatment plant. I’ll never forget the smell.”

“Why don’t I find you each time before we head out for meals so that I can walk with you and we can eat together? It’s either that or try finding one another in the mass of people jostling for food.”

“Sounds like a plan Joel, but don’t keep me waiting too long, okay?”

“Oh, you’re a spoiled princess, a little waiting never hurt anyone.”

“Call me that again and you’ll be eating alone buddy!”

“Forgive me oh beautiful one. I shall never call you that again.”

Soon both of them were laughing at one another, as each tried to be sillier than the previous comment. Josh and Natalie poked their heads outside, hearing the loud bouts of laughter coming from the entrance. As they saw their daughter crying from laughing so hard with Joel, they both nodded their heads in acknowledgement; those two were indeed two peas in a pod.

As Joel left to unpack his things back at his own cabin, his lingering smile was not unnoticed by Brian and Samantha. 

“Found Alex and her family now did you?”

“Yep! And we’re going to eat together too at mealtimes!”

“You know, the first time your father asked me out for dinner, I expected to go to someplace fancy. Instead, he took me to the local fast-food burger joint, much to my dismay.”

“And, just to be clear, it was a premium burger joint, the most expensive patties in town. But once I caught her with my charm, I reeled her in to be my girlfriend!” Winking at Joel, Brian smothered his wife with kisses, making a promise to her at the same time.

“Someday I’ll take you to the best fine dining place in town. Then it will make up for our burger date, eh?”

“We’ll see. That is if we manage to make it out of this dreadful camp. We don’t even have a sink to wash our hands!”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to go to the wash buildings to clean your hands. Or we could put a bucket of water in the cabin for handwashing?”

Enthusiastically pounding Brian on the back, Samantha pounced on that idea and immediately started looking for a suitable bucket. “That’s the best idea you’ve had yet dear! Now if only we can find a bucket that fits the bill…”

Pulling out a shriveled-up tuber root from his bag, Joel reminisced about their time in the park, and wondered if they should have stayed there.

“At least we have a roof over our heads and hot meals three times a day. I don’t think we would have lasted much longer in the wild, especially if we had to keep retreating further north.”

Nodding his head in agreement, Brian admitted he did miss roughing it out in the woods but did not regret surrendering to the Americans. “It’s only for three years, this hard labour, then we’ll be free to start our lives all over again. A clean slate and a fresh start.”

After changing into some fresh clothes, Joel hurried to meet up with Alex as dinner was about to start. Arriving at her cabin, Alex was waiting on the steps and bounded over when she saw Joel. “Hey! You made it on time thank goodness. Wait…there’s a fly on your head…hold still, hold still…”

Smack!

Alex cuffed Joel’s head several more times before he realized she was pulling his leg. He then grabbed her from behind and lifting her clear off the ground as she squirmed to get loose, they tumbled onto the dry grass laughing heartily and temporarily forgetting they were in an internment camp.

As they brushed off the dust from their clothes, they headed towards the dining building, eager to try out their first meal in the compound.

When it was their turn, they received a dollop of mashed potatoes dressed with gravy, with a medium sized Salisbury steak and some assorted vegetables. After subsisting on tubers and fish for several weeks, the simple steak dinner was a welcome sight for the two youngsters despite the fact it was hardly better than cafeteria food.

Cutting into the meat, they could smell the delicious aroma emanating from their food and it wasn’t long before they were both wolfing down the meal like they had just finished a ten-year famine. 

Joel licked the fork clean, and watched as Alex finished her last morsel, relishing the savoury gravy that wasn’t too salty but was just right.

For dessert, there were giant tubs of ice cream, consisting of two plain flavours. Alex immediately went for the chocolate, while Joel opted for the vanilla flavour. Pretty soon, all that was left was some small puddles of melted ice cream in their bowls, and they were conversing about the chores they would have to do starting tomorrow morning.

“I was never a good seamstress…even when I took home economics in school. Must’ve poked my thumb a thousand times trying to stitch a single rip back together.”

“Well, just be glad you’ll be working indoors. Our dads and myself will be slaving away in the heat out in the fields. I just hope we don’t get heat stroke.”

As they approached Joel’s cabin, he gave Alex a peck on the cheek, before waving goodbye as she headed back her own way. Joel had offered to walk her back, but she politely declined the offer, saving him a twenty-minute round trip.

As she looked up at the half-moon, Alex wondered what tomorrow would be like and if they would adapt to their new temporary home. 

Chapter 14

Breach

With the last of the rubble cleared from the highway just south of Squamish, convoy after convoy of troops and materials streamed north, heading to the front lines where the fighting was fiercest. The rebels had held onto Squamish for the past few days, denying access to the Americans who had hoped to capture the town in twenty-four hours. The AAA was pushing with all its might to withstand the pressure from the Americans, trying to stem the tide threatening to engulf them in defeat. But with wave after wave of fresh American troops arriving every hour, it seemed retreat would be their only option in such a scenario.

Chris bit his lip as his officers suggested a full-scale retreat back up north. He knew that retreating would only embolden the Americans to keep pushing, and in less than a day, they would be in the same predicament, forced to retreat once again till there was nowhere to run. Retreating was also demoralizing to the troops, spreading the feelings of defeatism and hopelessness.

“No, we must hold Squamish. If it falls, so does Whistler, Pemberton and whatever stronghold we have left up north. We should be receiving reinforcements by tomorrow, but we need to hold our position till they arrive. I want every man-jack able to hold a gun to help us in our defence. It’s now or never boys…for Canada!”

“For Canada!”

Heading downstairs to the basement, Chris found Arthur huddled on his bed, with eyes wide with fear. 

“I killed him…I killed another person…he’s dead…he’s dead. Oh it’s my fault he’s dead…”

Sharing his pain, Chris put a hand on Arthur’s back, trying his best to comfort the young lad, who had just had his first taste of warfare. “Look Bud, if you didn’t shoot him, he would’ve shot you…and you’re no good dead now aren’t you? So take some time to rest but remember…we need you to fight okay? Stay strong and fight!”

“I’ll…try…”

Leaving the teenager to ponder his actions, Chris knew it would take time before he got over his first kill. Arthur was such a lively, eager boy, willing to learn…but war had turned him into a soldier, and if it continues, he may become just as emotionless and desensitized as himself. War brings out the worst in people, as when both sides fight, no one really wins. Life was truly brutal, harsh and unfair…something Arthur will need to learn if he is to mature as a soldier.

Chris walked back upstairs to the headquarters and ordered units to fortify the southern part of the town, making the Americans pay with blood for every square inch that they advanced. 

Knowing that they could only stall the advance, they would need to think of a plan if they were to win this battle. 

One defender offered a suggestion, “Is there any way to flank the enemy? I know it might be difficult with the mountains on the west and east, but if we could climb them, it would give us a chance to counter-attack.”

“But taking a team out on such a mission would weaken our defences. We need every man we can get to hold the line!” a man named Gordon said as he shook his head.

Weighing out the risks and benefits of each suggestion, Chris sided with the defensive approach. “Gordon’s right, we can’t afford to send troops on an attack, we might lose the town and no counter-attack would be worth that loss.”

Eventually the entire group reached a consensus that defending Squamish till reinforcements arrived was the top priority in their fight. As nearly everyone retired to their bunks for the night, only the night watch stayed awake, making sure the enemy did not catch them unawares during the nocturnal darkness.

One guard nervously fidgeted with his rifle, with eyes darting here and there, imagining a whole army of Americans rushing their position. His partner noticed his anxiety and put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey bud, calm down, there’s nothing out there, you can relax okay?”

Walking away from the safety of the building and towards some bushes, the guard tried his best to show that there was nothing to be afraid of. “You see? No enemy here—” 

The other guard froze for a moment, unsure of what just happened, but soon his adrenaline kicked in and he was shouting a warning to the rest of the guards. “Sniper! Sniper in the town!” 

Peeking from his cover back to his partner, he could tell the sniper’s shot had done its job and ensured a quick death for the unfortunate soul.

As soldiers bumbled out of their dorms into the main building, it was complete chaos as everyone tried to out-talk everyone else, making it impossible for Chris to address his defenders.

“Quiet everyone, please. Hush,” clearing his throat till the murmuring died down, Chris tired to make some sense of the situation and called up the guards who had raised the alarm. “Charles, and James, explain to us exactly what happened.”

The two guards started and finished each other’s sentences, speaking with an air of nervousness in their tone. “Zack was just showing James that there was nothing to be alarmed and,”

“And he walked towards the bushes to show me that it was safe.” Said James,

“Then a shot came out of nowhere, hitting poor Zack right in the head,” the other guard continued.

“He didn’t know what hit him,” said James as he shook his head in disbelief.

Chris thought for a moment, digesting the information being fed to him before deciding on what should be done to respond to the new danger. “Okay, listen guys, I want all outdoor lighting to be extinguished, no lamps, fires or whatnot. Only use flashlights if you absolutely need to in the dark and stay away from open spaces in town. Tomorrow morning we’ll do a surveillance sweep of the area and flush out any enemy snipers. I don’t want to hear of another casualty tonight, did I make myself clear?”

A resounding ‘Yes Sir’ came from the entire group and soon men were going around dousing fires and turning off any lighting that might reveal their position, making them a target.

When morning arrived, there was the arduous task of burying the guard named Zack, and a small group of defenders witnessed the burial, as the makeshift coffin wrapped in a Canadian flag was lowered into the hole in the ground as quickly as they could. After a quick gathering, everyone resumed their positions and Chris let out a large sigh as he conversed with his second in command, Tommy.

“Poor lad, was just twenty years old. He had all the makings of a fine soldier, heck, he was even trying to help his fellow comrade up to the point when he was shot. Such a waste of life.”

Chris made sure to keep his tone low, so as not to unsettle any troops listening in. Tommy nodded in agreement, offering his take on the circumstance as well, “War doesn’t choose its victims. Death can come and snuff out a life no matter the situation. That’s why war should always be the last option on the table after all efforts have been made to advert it. They say that no one really wins in a war. There are just two losers, with one suffering more casualties than the other.”

Seeing Arthur come out of his room, Chris immediately greeted him and asked how he was feeling after resting a bit.

“I think I’m okay now Sir, just a bit hungry though.”

Chris laughed heartily as he pounded Arthur’s back, “Har that’s the spirit! Got your appetite back! Wonderful! Head on to the kitchen and I’ll join you once I’m finished my rounds.”

Flagging down a reconnaissance vehicle, he inquired if they had seen any evidence of a sniper hiding in the woods nearby. 

“Sorry boss, there was nothing suggesting that they were here. If they were camping out, they did a real good job of covering their tracks.”

Thanking the soldier, he went back into the building and headed for the kitchen, where he could smell the aroma of sizzling meat and the hum of conversation as soldiers chatted about the latest news. Everyone had heard of how the guard Zack had been shot just outside their building. Many were in disbelief that even in their own base, they were not safe from the enemy’s attacks.

Receiving his portion of venison and some greens, he sat next to Arthur, who was back to being himself again after being shell shocked the entire day since killing his first enemy soldier. Knowing that a luxurious meal like today would soon be far and few between as the enemy approaches, Chris let his men enjoy their meal, hoping to raise their spirits before the thick of the fighting would begin. As he watched the soldiers laughing and jesting, he dearly hoped reinforcements would come soon if they were to have any chance of surviving the American onslaught. 

Suddenly, the wailing of the siren went off and men grabbed their weapons before heading to their stations, as they had practiced many times before. Chris took Arthur and headed to the command post, where the defense effort would be coordinated. Chris’ estimates that the Americans would not attack till two more days later was clearly wrong and they now faced the behemoth American army and navy breathing down their necks. 

Soon enough, the first shots rang out, and soldiers began radioing in, informing of approaching troops from nearly every position. As the US Navy bombarded the pitiful defenseless buildings of Squamish, Chris knew that they were just softening up their defences to allow the invasion forces to have an easier time taking the town.

Pausing as another explosion shook their building, they knew it was only a matter of time before their shells would find one of his men or even himself. Chris wondered how much longer their pitiful defenders will last without any outside help. As he was pondering this, a soldier rushed in, gasping for air having ran back to headquarters. 

“Chris, they’ve overrun the warehouse! We tried our best to hold them at bay but there were just too many of them. We didn’t stand a chance!”

Chris looked around to see if there were any other survivors. “Did anyone else escape with you?”

“Most of the lads made it out with me, but poor Jose and Jorden were cut down before they could retreat,” said the soldier shook his head sorrowfully. 

Chris patted the man on the back and ushered them outside. “Go with the rest of the group and take a break. I’ll reassign you guys to another location once you’re rested up.”

Gordon marked the warehouse location with a red ‘X,’ showing that the location had been lost to the enemy. “That’s the third location overrun by the Americans. If it keeps going like this, they’ll be knocking on our headquarters in just a few days. If you’ve got any ideas Chris, now would be the time to put them to action.”

Stroking his chin, Chris gathered his war office members around him. “Okay boys, hear me out on this idea…”

***

As the Canadians weighed their options against the formidable American army, General MacMillan was peeved at how the remnants of the Canadian army and some ramshackle conscripts were able to hold off their invasion of Squamish so stubbornly. He had expected the town to last no more than a day, but the defenders still hold key areas as the second day was passing into the night. He had to admit that these Canadians were persistent, despite their grim situation and that a total American invasion would be inevitable. After they defeat the Canadians, it would complete American’s manifest destiny over North America, with the exception of Mexico. But how long it took to win the war was subject to many factors, one being the tenacity of the remaining Canadian resistance. He knew that it was only a matter of time before reinforcements would arrive for the Squamish defenders, further entrenching and fortifying their position, making them that much harder to defeat.