by Bruno Miller
He managed a smile between muffled coughs. “You’re doing a good job, honey. We’re all lucky to have you here.”
Beverly returned with the oxygen tank her son had been using and placed it on the bed next to Fred. “Here you go. Ryan is doing much better.” She turned to leave but stopped and looked at Reese. “Thank you again. If it wasn’t for you and Cy, our son…” She choked on her words and began to tear up again.
Reese interrupted her before she could continue. “It’s okay. We’re all in this together,” she said.
Beverly nodded and made a hasty exit back to her room. Fred pulled the mask over his face and took a few deep breaths as Reese opened the valve on the tank.
Vince headed for the door. Cy followed but stopped before he walked out of the room. “Well,” Vince said, “we’ll let you guys get some rest.”
“If you need any help with anything, let me know,” Cy offered.
“Thanks,” Reese answered.
“Come on, girl.” Mary urged Nugget to follow them as they headed for the next room. Nugget jumped up from the corner of the room where she had been lying next to Buster and followed obediently. As soon as the door closed, Fred lay down on the bed and closed his eyes as he continued to inhale the much-needed oxygen from the tank. And for the first time since this all began, it was quiet.
Reese looked over her mother and ran her fingers through her soot-covered hair. Brushing pieces of ash from her mother’s curls, she tried to make sense of all that had happened. But it was too much to comprehend. She knew in her heart that she would never return to school and that life as she knew it had changed forever. She felt a deep sadness begin to creep over her as she thought about all the friends she would most likely never see again and their fates in all this. The sadness turned to anger when she thought about all the lives that had been lost. The truth was, everyone she’d ever known was gone from her life.
A familiar cold nose nudging her elbow and forcing its way under her arm interrupted her thoughts. Buster was still here, and so were her parents. Things could be worse—a lot worse. She tried to focus on what she still had as she scratched Buster behind his ears, his eyes closing in satisfaction and his head coming to rest on her leg.
This was a new world and she was going to have to make the best of it. She still didn’t know if she was up for the challenge, but she was determined to try her best and help out in any way she could. They would all have to work together. It was the only way any of them would survive.
Chapter Eighteen
Vince was glad to see Jim coming down the walkway with room keys in his hand. He was anxious to get inside and close the door. There was nothing they could do about the smell, but at least inside the room, with the door shut, they could eliminate the smoke and breathe a little easier, although they might never get the burnt smell out of their hair and clothing.
It wasn’t the type of smoke that came off a campfire or wood-burning fireplace. It was a harsh, toxic, soot-laden smoke that seemed to pierce all the senses. It left a foul taste in his mouth, and he was thankful for the water that Mary brought from her house. The water helped soothe his throat and wash away the burning sensation.
Water was going to be one of the top priorities when things settled down. Unfortunately, the motel, like most things in town, was on city water. Even if he could get the power back up and running using the solar panels at his garage, it wouldn’t solve their water problem at the motel. He knew there were a few freshwater springs around town, so maybe they could set up a pump and some hoses to bring water to the motel. But that was something to worry about later. For the time being, they would have to carry water in containers from the garage if he could get the well pump working.
Jim opened up the door to room 103 and put two sets of room keys on the table next to the small TV. “I’ll stay in the office. There’s a cot in the back room. That’s where I usually sleep during the night shift anyway.” Jim started for the door.
“Thanks for letting us all use the motel,” Mary said.
“Heck, it’s the least I can do. We’re all in this together. Right, Major?” Jim glanced at Cy nervously before he looked at Vince, as if he was waiting for approval.
“That’s right,” Vince answered. The truth was, whether Jim cooperated or not, they were going to stay there. What choice did they have?
“Okay, well I guess I’ll see you guys later.” Jim closed the door behind him and passed by the window on his way back to the front office.
Nugget leapt up onto one of the double beds and made a few circles over a spot before she lay down with a sigh.
“Well, I guess we’ll take this one,” Mary said as she let out a small cough.
“Sounds good.” Vince looked at his watch. “Can’t believe it’s almost noon.”
Cy glanced out the window. “It sure doesn’t feel like it. Looks a lot later than that.”
He was right. The sun was nothing more than a pale-yellow spot in the sky, barely visible through the smoke and ash-filled air. If Vince didn’t know what time it was, it could have passed for the moon on a cloudy night. The light that managed to filter through and make its way into the room cast an unnatural shade of yellow over everything.
Vince wondered how long it would be before they saw clear blue skies again. He knew it wasn’t just their town that looked like this. If the rest of the country was going through the same scenario and dealing with fires, it would be a long time before the atmosphere returned to normal.
“I guess we might as well get some rest.” Cy sat down at the edge of the bed and took his shoes off.
Vince sighed. “Yeah, I suppose so.” It wasn’t like there was anything else they could do right now. He initially thought about going back to the garage to see if he could get the power working, but given the lack of sunlight, he had his doubts about the solar panels providing much electricity. There would only be enough power in the storage batteries to run a few things. Right now, getting some rest was the best option. God knew there was plenty of work ahead of them. Not to mention, doing anything outside meant breathing in the toxic air, and they had all done enough of that as it was.
Vince sat down on the bed opposite of Cy and lay back on the pillows. He glanced over at Mary, who already had her eyes shut. Nugget had moved from her spot at the foot of the bed and was snuggled up next to Mary’s side. Cy was staring up at the ceiling quietly and no doubt deep in thought as he tried to process all that had happened in the last few hours.
They were all covered in a layer of soot, and as Vince rubbed his face and looked at the black and gray filth on his hands, he was reminded again about the lack of amenities. How nice it would have been to clean up a little. They would have to use containers for now and go find water when they ventured out again. Staying hydrated was important, but they also needed to clean themselves up.
Vince wasn’t looking forward to sorting through the aftermath of the fires, and as he lay there, his thoughts drifted to all the people that hadn’t made it. Hopefully they would find more survivors. They were going to need all the help they could get for sorting through what was left of their town. He thought about Bill and wondered what had become of him. When the bombs hit, he must have gone home to find his wife and daughter. With any luck, he’d arrived in time to save them from the fate of so many others. For the time being, Vince had to believe that Bill was successful and that he and his family were waiting it out somewhere safe.
And what about his good friend John? Surely he was all right and had survived. He probably ran home as well to save his family. Oh, how Vince hoped there were other people who survived the attacks. He didn’t want the burden or responsibility of being in charge of what was left. But he could feel the stares from the others already. They looked to him for answers and guidance on what to do next. He didn’t have any answers and he didn’t want to be that person.
Vince rubbed at his eyes. He could feel the pressure and the sense of responsibility building. There was so much
to do that the thought alone made him tired. He tried to focus on the positive. He had his son and Mary safe and sound by his side, at least for the time being. These were the people who mattered most in his life, and he was beyond fortunate to have them both. They faced an uphill battle, the struggle would be real, and it was going to be hard, but together, they would make it. They had to.
Chapter Nineteen
Bang, bang, bang. The noise at the door startled Vince. Nugget followed it up with a few barks and growls as she shot up and stood at the edge of Mary’s bed.
The door cracked open to reveal a distressed and excited Jim. “Major,” he said, “there’s someone driving through town.”
“I’m coming. Hang on.” Vince rubbed at his eyes, forgetting that his face was coated in soot. He quickly remembered by the gritty feel on his cheeks and hands. His eyes burned and felt irritated, no doubt from the grime and ash that covered him from head to toe. He sat up and put on his boots but didn’t bother to tie the laces. Staggering over to the door, he glanced back at Cy and Mary, who were still asleep despite the racquet Tom and Nugget had made.
“What’s going on?” Vince squinted in the dim light as his eyes adjusted. He pulled the door open far enough to step into the still thick and heavy air, then pulled it closed softly behind him. Checking his watch, he saw that it was five o’clock already. That surprised him, and if he had to guess how long he’d been out, he would have bet no more than a few minutes.
The world outside slowly came into focus—or at least what he could see of it. The smoke hadn’t dissipated much, and the smell of the burning fires was still strong. He hadn’t expected it to improve for a couple of days, but seeing it all firsthand again was a painful reminder of the morning’s events. For a brief moment when he first woke up, he wondered if it had all been a bad dream. But the view outside the motel shattered that illusion and the reality of his situation came flooding back in waves.
Jim looked anxious, like he was going to burst if he didn’t get out what he had to say. He nervously glanced between Vince and the road in front of the motel. Whatever was going on had him pretty worked up.
“Well, what’s going on?” Vince stretched as he tried to work out a pain in his back.
“Two cars and an old pickup truck drove through a couple minutes ago. Then another pickup with two more people came a little later. They stopped in front of your garage for a bit, but then they moved on when the last truck pulled in. The guy in the last truck said something to the guy driving the lead car and they all left together in a hurry.” Jim wrung his hands as he shifted his weight restlessly from one foot to the other.
While Vince began to process the information, he couldn’t help but wonder why Jim seemed so nervous. After all that had happened today, a few cars driving around was hardly news worth getting worked up over, and there were bound to be other survivors out there.
Vince thought of Bill. “Was one of them a Dodge pickup?”
“No, but the thing is, they had guns.” Jim stopped moving around and made direct eye contact with Vince for the first time since he started talking. Now Vince knew why he was so worked up.
“What do you mean? Guns? Who were they?” Vince was wide awake now and firing on all cylinders.
“There were six guys and then another two in the truck that came in later, but they didn’t see me. I got down on the floor and watched them from behind the counter. Not all of them were carrying guns, but at least three were from what I could see,” Jim spat in one breath.
“Did they take any interest in the motel?” Vince asked.
“I don’t think so. Two of them walked over and looked around the gas pumps at your place. They were both carrying shotguns. The other guy had what looked like an AR-15, but he stayed out on the road near the vehicles.” Jim began pacing again.
“Which way did they go when they left?” Vince asked.
Jim pointed. “Back toward the interstate, the way they came in.”
Vince sighed. “How long ago did you see all this?”
“I woke you up as soon as they left,” Jim answered. “Do you think they’ll come back?”
“Probably,” Vince said.
There was no probably to it, though, and Vince knew it. They’d be back sooner rather than later. If it wasn’t for the contents of his store, it would be for the gas. He never imagined that they would run into trouble this quickly. He thought people would be preoccupied with self-preservation for at least a couple of days. But here it was, less than a day in, and things had deteriorated to lawlessness and roving gangs of armed looters, which was no doubt what Jim had seen. You don’t drive around with weapons at the ready if you’re looking to rescue people. They would have to assume the worst and be ready for them if they came back.
Vince thought for a minute about their situation. Jim had a revolver and Vince had his .45 and an old shortened 12-gauge shotgun he kept behind the counter at the garage. Jim said three of them were carrying guns, but Vince would put money on the rest of the gang being armed as well. It would be foolish to assume otherwise. If it came to a straight-out gunfight, they would be outgunned for sure. Maybe they should try and avoid them altogether for now if they could, but Vince knew that wasn’t a solution and that an encounter with the armed group was inevitable.
“Do you have any more weapons around here?” Vince asked.
“No, this is it.” Jim put his hand on the large revolver tucked into his waistband. Vince figured as much, but there was no harm in asking. Making a run to his house or Mary’s was out of the question and probably not worth it right now. Considering how things were going, he might not even be able to go to either place. The roads were most likely impassable and covered with debris from the collapsed buildings. Surely a lot more had come down since this morning.
If Vince did manage to make it to his place, there was no guarantee that it hadn’t burned to the ground like most everything else. Even if the safe had done its job and protected the contents, it would be too hot to touch, assuming it wasn’t buried under the remains of the house.
He would have to address that in the near future: clearing the roads and sorting through the collapsed buildings to look for anything they could use to help them survive. He thought of the Massey Ferguson in the barn but quickly dismissed the idea. It was probably buried and burned. Besides, the tractor wasn’t big enough for the job. Vince would need something bigger.
The Cloverdale quarry had a few pieces of equipment, including a large articulated loader. Vince had seen it shuttling buckets of gravel across the yard on more than one occasion. The bigger question was, did it still run? It looked like an older piece of equipment, but there was no telling. For now, all of that would have to wait, though. Besides, the quarry was outside of town to the north and several miles past the interstate. Running out there to try and commandeer a piece of equipment would be something Vince and a few volunteers would have to try when they were better organized and could defend themselves. Before attempting anything like that, Vince wanted to be more prepared to deal with the armed and dangerous crew Jim had seen.
“Let’s get everybody together in the motel conference room ASAP,” Vince said.
Jim nodded and started for the motel to let the others know, but he stopped when he noticed Vince wasn’t following him. “Where are you going, Major?”
“I’m going to get that shotgun while I can. We’re going to need it. I’ll be back in a couple minutes and meet you all in the conference room.”
“Want me to come with you?” Jim asked.
“No, I need you to get everybody moving and let them know what’s going on. Wait for me there and stay out of sight, no matter what. Got it?”
“Got it.” Jim turned and was on his way without asking any more questions, and Vince was glad. The clock was ticking, and his opportunity to get across the street and back without running into the armed group was slipping away. He guessed the only reason they hadn’t stayed and looted his shop was because the
y found something better. They’d be back once they cleaned out wherever they were. But with any luck and a little time, Vince and the others would be ready for them. They couldn’t afford to roll over and let these looters take what they wanted. It was time to make a stand and fight for what was theirs.
Chapter Twenty
Before heading to the garage, Vince stopped at his car and took his holstered pistol out from under the seat. It was foolish of him to have left it there and he was disappointed in himself for doing so. Things would have gone very badly if the looters had taken an interest in the motel or their vehicles. He was going to have to do better than that. No more letting his guard down.
He slid the concealed carry holster and the pistol onto his belt at the small of his back. He preferred to carry it there, as it made for quick retrieval with his right hand. The .45 would remain with him from now on, and he’d like to see the others armed as well—eventually.
That was one of the things he planned on discussing with the group when he got back. He wasn’t sure how many of them knew how to handle a gun or, for that matter, what their experience level was, but they needed to be armed and able to defend themselves.
He knew Cy was a good shot and competent with a weapon. When he visited, they enjoyed taking the guns out back and doing some target-shooting. Of course, targets didn’t shoot back, and confronting a person with a gun or protecting yourself was entirely different than shooting steel plates at one hundred yards.
Jim had the pistol, although having a gun and knowing how to use it didn’t necessarily go together. And then there was Mary, who Vince knew was good with a shotgun. But he had no idea about the others. If they didn’t know how to use a gun, they’d have to learn fast. If he could get to his safe and get Mary’s shotgun, they’d have enough weapons to arm everyone. As crazy as that sounded, it was the way things were now.
