by Vince Byrd
“Nah man, I gotta’ have cash. I can’t take a check, no offense,” Jeremy responded.
“All I have is a check.”
“You can go to the bank and get some cash.”
“It’s Sunday; the banks are closed,” David replied.
“What about your Rolex watch?” Emily mentioned.
“This Rolex is worth ten grand. I’m not going to give ten grand for this piece of…” David stopped before he finished his sentence.
“Wait! I have something,” Paige slung off her backpack and dug deep into the bottom. She pulled out two jewelry boxes, both containing a 14k gold necklace. One had a P pendant for Ethan and the other had an E for her. “I’ll give you these and five hundred in cash. There is at least three ounces of gold in these.”
Jeremy inspected the necklaces and the pendants. He saw that they were marked 14k. He was satisfied that they were real; he had some experience in knowing what real gold looked like. “Why the rush? I’d rather have it all in cash.”
“You might want to take the gold,” Bud prompted. David gave him a troubled look, not wanting him to spill the beans on his EMP theory. “You might…” Bud took the hint and said, “You might get more for the gold if it is three ounces.”
Makayla stepped up next to Paige, “Please, sir, we need to get home. Our car broke down back on the highway, and my dad is real sick. I need to get to him before…before it’s too late.”
Jeremy’s face softened with sympathy, and he said, “Plus the five in cash?”
Paige handed him the cash. “Do we have a deal?”
“I guess so,” Jeremy finished off his bologna sandwich and shook her hand. He took the payment and went into the house to retrieve the title. He returned with an extra set of keys and the signed title. “Here you go. Hope she treats you right.” He turned to Makayla, “I hope you make it to your dad in time.”
“Thanks. Now, we’ll be able to because of you,” she said giving him a kiss on the cheek, making him feel good about himself.
David pulled the car onto the street. Bud and Jeremy stood and chatted for a minute. Emily and Makayla walked with Paige and Ethan to the road. “When did you buy those for us?” Ethan asked.
“I was going to give you yours on this trip, but…”
“But I was doo-doo head,” he interjected.
“Well, if the shoe fits,” she agreed. “Makayla, is your dad really sick?”
“No, not deathly sick. You’re not the only one with a bag of tricks,” she replied. They all laughed.
They loaded their bags into the trunk of the Duster. “Are you coming with us?” David asked Bud.
“No, I have my family. I’ll find out soon enough. I wish you all safe passage. Remember, if you don’t know what’s ahead, head for what you know.”
“Thanks, Bud, for all your help,” David shook his hand through the window, let out the clutch, and pulled away. The others waved goodbye.
Sixteen
Jesse Day 6
Jesse, Thomas, and Henry drove up to Stan’s stable in the VW. Thomas parked by Jesse’s truck, flung his door open, and stepped out. He flipped the seat up so Jesse could get out. Jesse handed the radiator to Thomas, and he laid it in the bed of the truck. Jesse climbed out with the hoses in his hands, dropping them in the bed beside the radiator. Henry got out as well and walked around to the truck. He shook his head and said, “That’s a lot of bullet holes, Jesse. I think the good Lord was watching over you all.”
“Oh, I know He was. No way would we have made it this far without Him,” he agreed.
“I’m going to go check on my family,” Thomas said, pointing toward the house with his thumb. “There are more tools in the barn, and you might find some antifreeze in the back storage room. I have to go tell Jenny and Jenna that the police took their go-carts. Not a good day to do that, since Stan bought them last year for their birthday.”
“I’m sorry about that, Thomas,” Jesse groaned.
“It’s not your fault. I’ll see you later,” he said, as he turned and walked toward the house.
Jesse slid the stable door open and stepped in. He saw Kat standing there, petting a horse on its cheek, and she turned to see who it was. A rush of emotion flooded his heart as soon as he saw her look at him; a huge smile came across her face. Her eyes glinted with relief as she walked toward him. His heartbeat sped up, and he was surprised at his physical reaction when he saw her. He couldn’t control his expression, and he smiled back at her. “Did you get what you needed, Mr. Gibson?” she asked.
Thoughts of affection for her surged through his mind at that moment. Her question caught him off guard, especially when she called him ‘Mr. Gibson’. He could feel his ears begin to burn and his face reddened. He cleared his throat and said, “I did. I have the parts,” he refocused. “And, someone else.”
Ginger and Larry heard their voices and came out of the office followed by Ava. Henry stepped in behind Jesse, “Henry!” Ginger called, running to give him a hug. “I thought you were staying.”
“I guess the Lord had other intentions,” Henry declared.
“How did you meet up?” Kat asked wondering.
“It’s a long story. Maybe, we can tell it a little later,” Henry requested.
“We’re glad you’re with us,” Kat affirmed.
“Thank you, Kat. Me too. Good afternoon, Larry.”
“Preacher,” Larry nodded.
“I’m glad you’re back, Mr. Henry,” Ava said, giving him a hug also.
“Thank you so much, but you can just call me Henry.”
“I’m going to get started on the truck,” Jesse announced.
“Before you do, there are some sandwiches in the office for you both. You’re probably hungry. Brian’s wife brought some over to us.” Kat offered, as they all stepped into the office. Jesse and Henry picked out a sandwich to eat. “She said Brian offered for us to stay the night here in the barn, if we needed to. They’re having the funeral today at Stan’s wishes. He wanted to be buried on the same day that he died.”
“Do they have a preacher? Should I go and talk with them?” Henry asked.
“Thomas knows you’re a minister, Henry. If they need you, I think they will come and ask, don’t you?” Jesse questioned.
“I guess you’re right,” Henry agreed.
“Kat, did the police or sheriff come by here while we were gone?” Jesse asked.
“I didn’t see anyone, but I wasn’t watching either. No one came to us. Wouldn’t they want to talk to us, investigate why Stan died and what happened in the shootout? They would want the bullet in Stan’s leg for evidence. Junior is still lying in the wagon on the side of the road, dead,” Kat reported.
“That’s part of our story. The Sheriff’s office has burned down, and I don’t think there are any police left in this area. They’re dead or have quit,” Jesse explained. “I fear it will be that way across the nation now, until the federal government steps in and does something about it. We could be living in a somewhat lawless society for a while. It makes me in a bigger hurry to get home before it gets too bad. If the government decides to initiate marshal law, there could be curfews and, check stations. And, if each state initiates it, it will get ugly, especially around state lines.
“How so?” Ginger asked.
“They can restrict areas; retain you without cause and without a time limit. They’ll be able to confiscate whatever you have, at any time like in the Civil War. They can take your property, kick you out of your home or business, and send you packing.”
“Wow. What a doomsayer, Doc,” Larry chimed in.
“I’m not trying to be. That’s where we are. This didn’t happen without someone knowing it was coming. How did they know to send the National Guard out? Why didn’t they warn us or at least those in the west, so they could’ve evacuated? We need
to get that truck fixed and get back on the road while we can still travel.”
Jesse finished his sandwich, and then picked out several tools from a couple of drawers in the tool chest and cabinet that sat against the side wall. He went outside to work on the truck followed by Kat. He removed the punctured radiator and its hoses, and installed the new one. The hoses didn’t line up correctly, but he made them work with some extra hose clamps and some duct tape. He filled it up with water and antifreeze, cranked the motor of the truck, and let
it idle until the thermostat opened up to circulate the coolant. Kat topped it off with more antifreeze and screwed on the cap. “It looks good. I don’t see any leaks, and it’s not over heating. Hopefully, it will last the rest of the way,” he said, shutting off the engine and returning to the front of the vehicle. “I think we’re ready to roll. Let’s take some water and the rest of the antifreeze with us, just in case.”
“Good idea. What happened out there, Jesse? Where are the go-carts, and where did this Volkswagen come from?” Kat asked.
“Short version?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“The Sherriff’s deputies commandeered the go-carts. He locked us up, because he didn’t like Thomas, and we found Henry in jail. The Sheriff died in a car accident. A little girl let us out of jail to help him, but it was too late. Then, the Sherriff’s office burned to the ground, and another deputy let us go free. The VW came from Albert Goosens, a family donated it to Henry’s church so he could get home,” he rattled off.
“Holy smokes, Jesse! Why was Henry in jail?”
“He had no ID or driver’s license, and he was packing his pistol when the sheriff pulled him over. Anything happen here while we were gone?’
“No, it was quiet. It was kind of nice being able to pet the horses with Ava. She’s doing better, I think. She’s starting to talk more. What a trooper she’s been.”
“I can’t wait for her to meet Paige. She has a way with kids, but Ava is more like an adult though. I think you both will like her,” he claimed.
“Didn’t you say she was in Florida on Christmas break?”
“She was supposed to be coming home the same time as me. We timed our trips so we could spend Christmas together. I really don’t know where she is. She could be on her way home, or hopefully, she’s home already by now. She could be on the road like us. Her boyfriend’s family was bringing her home, and we were going to meet for the first time.”
“It sounds like she might be serious about this guy, if you were going to meet his parents.”
“Ethan. I don’t know about him. She likes him. I guess that’s what is important. There’s just something about him that bothers me. He just gives me a vibe. You know, like he’s distracted or out there, not in touch with the rest of us. Paige said he’s always on his phone.”
“You just described all of America,” she teased.
“Yeah I know…but not anymore.”
Seventeen
Paige Day 1
The golden glow of the setting sun glimmered through the naked trees, as it began its descent behind the earth’s crest. Beams and rays of light streaked in and out of the car, as David weaved their way through the many stalled vehicles. Little packs of people and lone individuals walked on the road, in search of answers as to why their cars had left them stranded. Several were holding up their cellphones and even shaking them, desiring them to operate. Like before, some had even decided to camp in and near their automobile for the night. Paige eagerly watched each passing group, wishing this was just a small hiccup and that things would return to normal once they had reached their fifty-mile goal.
David slowed to a crawl as the stalled traffic became thick. They were approached by several men and women. David rolled up his window that had been down a couple of inches. “Hey! We need a ride! Give us a ride!” a man yelled, as he trotted alongside of the car. Suddenly, there was a whole group of people seeking a ride from them, and they began to pound on the windows.
“David!” Emily screeched, startled by the woman pounding on her window.
“Keep going, Dad. They’ll take our car. There’s no room for anyone else,” Ethan blurted.
“I’m going to have to speed up, so they don’t get in front of me and make me stop. Hang on, it might get crazy,” David fretted. He saw his chance, stepped on the gas a little harder and jerked the Duster to the right. They left the pavement, sliding into a shallow ditch and back out onto the road. David zig-zagged through a couple of cars faster than he wanted to, but made it through without incident and lost the crowd.
“That was close, Dad,” Ethan said, patting him on the shoulder.
David shook his head and let out a single grunt of a laugh, “Yeah, it was, son.” He noticed he had a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel, so he relaxed his hands a little. “Hey, there’s the Alabama state line. We should be in Dothan by dark.”
***
The darkness of the night was pitch-black, and it came quicker than they expected. They were moving slower than they wanted. It was harder to see with no street lights, or any other lights around. Clouds blanketed the sky and hid the moon or any starlight. The head lamps on the car were not adjusted properly, and they only illuminated for a short distance out front. The brights were not much brighter than the dims. David hit the brakes, “What the…”
“Is that what I think it is?” Makayla asked.
“Yes, that’s a gingerbread house on wheels,” Paige declared.
“What’s it doing in the middle of the road?” David complained.
Out from behind the house on wheels walked a large City of Dothan policeman carrying an AR-15 rifle and wearing the rank of sergeant. He held the rifle in a nonthreatening manner and approached the car. David rolled his window down. “Where are you headed?” the officer asked.
“Home…Athens, Acworth,” David replied.
“Well, which is it?” the sergeant inquired.
“We’re going to Athens,” David said, pointing to Emily and himself. “They’re going to Acworth.” He pointed to the back. “Uh, why is there a gingerbread house in the road?”
“Where are you coming from, sir?” the man asked without acknowledging David’s question.
“Destin. What’s this about?”
“The mayor has issued a citywide curfew for 6 p.m. for Dothan due to the threat level. It is currently 5:51 pm. All visitors entering the city are not allowed to stop. Sir, you will have to keep moving. If you stop, you will be detained. Sergeant Hale will follow you to the checkpoint boundary. Do you understand, sir?” the policeman questioned.
“What’s the threat? Was it an EMP?” David wondered.
“We don’t have any information to share with the public at this time, other than to say, we are still investigating the crisis level. The gingerbread house is a float for our Christmas parade. It was all we had long enough for this checkpoint on this side of the city. When we move it, you folks drive on, and Sergeant Hale will follow you to the boundary. Drive slowly and be careful.”
“Thank you, Officer. We will,” David replied.
The policeman held up his hand and waved for the float to be moved. A man climbed onto the old diesel Ferguson tractor it was attached to. He cranked it and pulled the float up enough for one car to pass. David drove by slowly, and the man eased the float back in place. Sergeant Hale took his position behind the Duster in a black and white, four-door Ford Galaxie with a flashing red light on top. It had a star on each of the front doors with the words ‘Dothan Police’ over and under them.
“This is very strange,” Makayla commented.
“Yes, it is,” Paige agreed. The red light strobed across the darkened city, as several people scurried to get to their place before curfew. Businesses sat empty and dark, and the city streets were clear of stalled cars. “It’s almost like we’re moving through
the shadows of the apocalypse or the beginning of it.”
“Oh, I hope you’re wrong about that,” Makayla disapproved.
They made their way through the city to the highway 431 checkpoint. The red flashing lights cued the officers to remove the boundary obstacle, which was an old tractor and trailer. They opened a gap for David to drive through and closed it after they’d passed. Sergeant Hale’s red light faded in the distance as they got farther away from the city of Dothan.
Eighteen
Jesse Day 6
Jesse and the others took Brian up on his offer and decided to stay the night in the stable then leave at first light. Jesse thought it might be too risky to travel at night. They all paid their respects to Stan and his family, then retired to the stable for the rest of the evening. Thomas brought them some home-cooked food the neighbors had prepared for his family, and he took his leave by saying good luck and goodbye. They knew that their paths would probably never cross again. Jesse shook his hand, walked him to the door, and said, “Thank you for everything.”
“Don’t mention it. I think I’m putting fishing back on my calendar now,” he answered with a hint of a smile.
“That sounds good to me. But, you know it’s funny, because I’m on my way home from a fishing trip,” Jesse admitted.
“Yeah…fishing always turns out be an adventure, right?”
Jesse smiled, “I could use a little less adventure right now, I think. Good luck to you, Thomas.” Thomas left to return to his family.
