This is a guest post and entry in our non-fiction writing contest  by Jason in Virginia

We’ve all seen the news. The unemployment rate. The wars and rumors of wars. The earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunami’s and other natural disasters plaguing the globe. Our own governments seemingly inexorable march towards Eurocentric slavery (also known as socialism, Marxism, “the realization of the universal brotherhood of man”, or whatever it is the Occupy hippies are calling it these days). Many of us look around our urban or suburban dwellings and shudder at the thought of having to make our stand here.

I pray I do not have to. Every penny of profit I turn from my home based business goes to the Retreat Fund. But I have to accept and prepare for the possibility that TSHTF before I can get there, and I’m forced to, in the words of C.S. Lewis, “Accept the adventure that the good Lord sends me.”

For the purpose of this article, I am going to assume the readers house is somewhat like mine, located in Anytown, Suburbia, Eastern United States. The primary goal here is to defend yourself, your family, your home. and your preps from those who would otherwise do harm. It is assumed that the primary threat here will be bands of looters/thieves/social deviants, squatters, or loners looking to pillage.