Harvest, Quietus #1

by Shauna King

  At this moment, I'm standing at a crossroads, either I head back to Ocala, all alone, and possibly find myself all alone there too, or I go where I know they'll be heading; The Holiday Inn at Spring Hill. I make a quick decision. I'll go to them. I'm sure I can find them. If he's not around, I can leave a message under his door or somewhere he'll be likely to see it. I can stay there. There's nothing I need but clothes and my laptop at Ocala. I can do without those for a few days. This is an emergency. I don't like my situation one little bit. The whole thing is odd and quite frankly it's really scaring me.

  I've noticed more oddities in the last hour. There are no birds in the sky. Not one. No people, not a body anywhere. No police. No troop vehicles patrolling or any sign of life. It isn't right. People and animals have simply been erased from this part of the world. I've already discounted military maneuvers, and am starting to think along other lines. Technical terrorism targeting personnel; weapons of living destruction; sub particle nuclear research gone badly wrong. Not that I know anything at all about any of that kind of developmental science, but it fits the current situation very well.

  What the hell went down when I was diving in that cave?

  Whatever it is or was, it was fast, powerful, and probably massive, based on the evidence I've seen so far. And my location, deep in the cave, protected me from it. And protected James and his sister too. Likely there are a lot of other people in similar underground places who had been protected.

  I climb off the roof of the truck, jumping to the ground and slip my leg over the bike. I call him again and then send another text message. Then I try my mom and dad again, but still, no reply. After that I try every single one of my contacts, one after the other with no response. These people are spread all over the US, so either my cell phone network is down, or theirs is. And as they are probably on several different networks, it is more likely that mine is to blame, or else it could be something farther reaching than network issues.

  I cannot stop my questioning and curious mind going where it shouldn't, and dare to wonder if they are there any more? Any of the people I know? Nothing could be that massive, could it? The whole of the United States? Or even worse still...

  No, not possible.

  My mind quickly discounts that ridiculous notion. But my heart pounds fast with fear. My parents and my gran and grandpa...Lucy, Andy and Anna my friend, could they all be gone? My parents live just a hundred and fifty miles away. It's so close to all this, whatever all this is...

  My eyes fill with hot tears, as another wave of fear, distress and loneliness rolls through me.

  No. It couldn't be. Not my whole family. Gone. Just like that?

  Then I tick myself off sternly. I mustn't think that way. I'm a scientist and I need to think logically, not jump to conclusions without any of the facts at my disposal. I take a deep breath and wipe my wet eyes with my wrist. Then I set the GPS app on my phone, which seems to be functioning just fine, and I'm thankful for that small mercy, at least. Kicking the bike stand up, I set off down the interstate, weaving my way around the maze of cars. From time to time I gaze up at the sky, which is darkening rapidly. Hopefully I'll get there before nightfall.

  *

  I continue on the bike through the center of town and to the other side, through the suburbs of Spring Hill. I trail through eerily silent, empty roads, stopping here and there and looking around, mentally begging for a sign of life. My heart grows heavier and heavier with every moment that passes.

  Before, I was unsure. I was conjecturing and assuming, but now I am positive that what I'm seeing, and what I'm experiencing is a major catastrophe. I can't explain it or understand it. It's beyond all comprehension. But somehow people have been taken away. Removed from the surface of the earth. The timing of my dive meant I was spared, and not only me, I know there are at least two others spared too. Being underground, beneath tons of rock and water, at a depth of two hundred feet meant we were unreachable.

  I am so grateful for that, but also very scared. I'm only twenty six years old, and not ready to face this. But then again...who the hell would be...ever?

  I'm swamped with fear. Petrified inside at what the present situation means and what the future holds. I'm beginning to realize, that this is a very, very big deal.

  As I look around me, at the dark rows of houses I'm passing by, I'm raging with inner helplessness. What I feel like doing, is venting my anger; screaming until I am hoarse and can't scream another word; sinking to the ground and thumping the earth, until my angry frustration is assuaged, and my fists are bloodied and numb. Anything to take away the sense of acute anxiety that's building so fast and hard inside.

  But I need to be strong, whatever happens. I'm a survivor and I'm going to cope, whatever comes my way. I have to.

  I stop and hug myself comfortingly, looking at the skyline. The pulsating, reddest of after-sunsets I've ever seen, is blazing above the buildings ahead. It's not natural. Nothing about this seems natural. This freak event that has wiped people out. This horrendous thing that has happened. Maybe it is still happening? A worldwide Armageddon? And it could well be that I am at the very epicenter of this event; this strange disappearance of humanity. I have no idea what it was or is or how widespread, and that worries me most of all.

  It seems so unbelievable, like a weird dream.

  If only it was. But I know I'm very much awake and this is only too real.

  My shorts and t-shirt are soaked through to the skin with the overwhelming humidity. I can almost see the steam hanging in the air around me. As well as that, an unusual smell has arisen and it stings my nostrils and affects the taste buds in my mouth, assaulting them with a strong metallic flavor.

  I've had more than enough of being outside.

  I ride the bike to the hotel, my mind far away. I'm worrying myself sick, thinking about my family and my friends...

  The hot breeze whips around me as I dodge in and out of the cars, mindlessly, and finally park up outside the hotel. I notice another bike parked nearby and I hope and pray it's his.

  I trudge inside, mentally and physically overloaded, exhausted by events.

  Oh God, which room?

  It seems like a monumental task to solve. I don't know what to do. Do I run around the corridors screaming? Then I have an idea. I go outside and sit on the bike and press the horn. I press it again and again and again.

  “James...it's me. Wynter. Are you in there?” I call out in a tearful voice. “James...James...” I shout loudly. I press the horn like a mad woman.”Oh please...” I feel myself start to break down, panic arising in my stomach and chest. I'm about to go nuclear fallout here.

  And suddenly he's there, in front of me. His sister at his side.

  I get off the bike and fall into his arms with a wild sob.

  “Wynter...thank God! Are you okay?” he asks, hugging me tightly. He smells lovely. So clean and fresh. And it feels so good being held close to another person. I've gone from being an uptight, broken woman who keeps men at two arms length to a man-craving softie who wants to be cuddled. And it only took the end of the world to manage my smooth transit.

  Is is the end of the world? Could it really be?

  I can't think straight. In fact my brain is shutting down, going into hibernation. Tears roll down my face in a massive flow; a surging waterfall. I look up at his face and try to speak, but nothing comes out but loud sobs. I'm aware of his sister, talking to me...of shushing noises and the two of them leading me inside and through the dark corridor to their room. He tries to sit me down, on the bed, next to him but I collapse against him, bringing him down alongside me.

  “Don't... leave... me,” I say, in heaving breaths, desperately trying to calm myself down. But it seems I can't. I don't know if it's the heat and exhaustion, my lonely fretful hours, worry about my loved ones, the dreadful situation that humanity has been issued, or just plain old relief he's here—I cry my eyes out like a child—and he holds me close, sensing that's all I nee
d right now.

  After a while I start to calm. My eyes are closed and I'm relaxing.

  I'm about to fall asleep.

  “What d'you think happened to her?” his sister asks in a concerned tone of voice.

  “I don't know. We'll talk about it tomorrow, okay, kiddo?”

  “Yeah. Tomorrow's another day. Hopefully a nicer one. I'm having my shower now.”

  “You do that...Be careful in there, though, it's dark...I'm going to sleep...dog tired.” he says in a slur of words and yawns. “'Night sweetheart.”

  “'Night...” she says. “I'm so looking forward to my Big Breakfast in the morning, with two extra hash browns and a huge coffee.”

  “Oh ha ha...don't count on McD being open for business as usual.”

  That's so touching. Despite everything, she still manages to make a light hearted joke with him.

  I hear a door opening and closing and the shower being turned on.

  I move my hand to wipe my damp face, which is drying of its salty tears and feels itchy. Then I open my eyes to find his staring into mine, just a few inches away. His face is bathed in the reddish glow from the window.

  “Feeling better?” he asks.

  “There's nothing like a good cry to release the tension.”

  I should feel embarrassed about my crying outburst, but I don't. Our present situation has changed all my rules.

  He rubs my arm up and down, and it's comforting.

  “Come on, you can sleep in Evelyn's room tonight. We all need some rest and then we'll talk, tomorrow.”

  As I follow him, through the reddened light, to the connecting room, I'm hoping, that come tomorrow, things will become clearer. Today has been full of highs and lows, a very confusing and highly stressful day, but we've forged our way through it somehow. And at least we've ended the day together. That means a lot more than I ever thought it could. I feel so much better being here with the two of them. It's not just me anymore. I can share my thoughts and ideas. We can plan and make decisions together.

  Tiredness overwhelms me again. And thirst.

  “I need a drink.” He hands me a bottle of water from the side table.

  “There you go, there's plenty of bottles here, take whatever you need.”

  “Thanks.”

  I sit on one of the beds and drink long, refreshing mouthfuls of it.

  “We only got back thirty minutes before you arrived.”

  “By bike, I guess?”

  “No choice really, was there?”

  I smile at him and he smiles back as he leans against the door frame, with folded arms.

  There's just one thing I need to say before I go to sleep. Then I can rest better.

  “I'm sorry I was so cranky earlier.”

  “Forget it...it's a new start.”

  “Yeah, a new start.” Well, that was painless.

  “I'll say goodnight then.”

  “Sweet dreams.” I say, tongue in cheek, my sense of humor returning for a moment.

  “I could do with sweet something.”

  He laughs and so do I.

  He closes the door, leaving it open a few inches

  Stripping off my sweaty clothes completely, I slide under the bed-sheet. Instinctively, I roll sideways, the way I always sleep, and move my upper leg into its usual comfortable, bent position. Hugging the pillow, I instantly relax into a deep and dreamless and completely exhausted sleep.

  *

  I wake to the sound of rain. Heavy rain. Quietly, I get up, put on my clothes and stand at the window for a while, watching the rain sheeting down in the early morning light. The reddish glow in the sky is still very much in evidence but I can't see a lot of detail through the driving rain. Florida rainfall can be heavy and prolonged at times, but I wonder if this is the aftermath of the heat and what had happened the day before; weather fronts meeting, or whatever has happened. Rain may be a pain, but I'm so glad the temperature is notably cooler, at least.

  Leaving the window I check on Evelyn, who is still sound asleep and then I poke my head through the interconnecting door. He's still asleep as well. I slip my shoes on and picking up my cell, I collect his key card and leave the room. I'm going to check out the hotel for food and supplies.

  As I descend the stairs, I check my phone. No answers. No missed calls. I try my mom and dad and Lucy. Still no reply.

  I'm not going to think too hard what that could mean right now. I'll keep trying, and keep hopeful. The Internet is a no-go this morning. Not that it was much help yesterday.

  There are well stocked kitchens but everything in the coolers and freezers is no longer cold, and will soon spoil, if it hasn't already. I throw it all away in the trash cans, outside the back door. I'm not risking eating something which might make me sick and this is going to rot and stink the place out soon. The storage cupboards hold a lot of dried and tinned foods, which will come in useful. And there is a ton of pasta, rice and beans. I try the gas controls on the large stainless steel stove. The gas hisses and the smell rises fast. The ignition isn't working, but I guess a match will sort that problem out. So, we have the means to cook something. I continue to poke around the cupboards and find a large store of candles, which prompts me to consider visiting the camping store for some real lights, battery operated ones, and other essential items.

  I really don't know what to expect of our current situation or how long it will take before we manage to find some other people. But in any case, it's important that we are prepared for a longer term than a few days. We need to think worst case scenario. If we could get some information about the extent of this emergency from somewhere, that would help a whole damn lot. I gather together some food for breakfast. Some wheat crackers, chocolate spread, a packet of coconut cookies, salted peanuts, a handful of dried fruit and a carton of orange juice, and then look around for some glasses. Returning to his room, with a full tray, I find James is up and I can hear the shower running in the bathroom. I put the tray on his bed and knock on the bathroom door.

  “Morning,” I call out. “Gonna be long?”

  I'm letting him know I'm here, purely for decency's sake. Don't want any kind of embarrassing moments to go down.

  “A few minutes,” he replies.

  “Okay. Got some food here.”

  “Great, I'm starving.”

  I hope he's not expecting a feast.

  I sit in his room to wait, on the bed, with a pen and the hotel notepad, and start to make a list. Everything I can imagine we might need; medical supplies, fuel, water purification tablets, various types of clothing...the list grows and grows. My mind starts to tick over. We could stock up and keep everything here at the hotel. Use it as a base. Spring Hill is a good sized town, with plenty of supplies. More than we could ever use. We might have to travel around a little to pick up food. I'm already aware that the lack of cooling facilities means everything has to be fresh, dried or pre-prepared, in tins, bottles and packets.

  The shower turns off and at the same moment Evelyn appears, through the door, yawning sleepily. She stretches and comes toward me.

  “Okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah, and you?”

  “I guess. If I don't think too much about things. I can just about hold it together.”

  I feel for her so badly, how hard must this be?

  She spies the food sitting on the tray and sits at my side picking at it hungrily.

  “Well... I never thought raisins and salted peanuts could taste so good together,” she says with a brittle little laugh.

  “Dive in, it may be a bit basic but there's plenty of it. Have a salt and sugar overdose on me.”

  I laugh too. And that seems strange. Could I find something of humor here, in this dire situation? Really? There is absolutely nothing funny about the whole of the human population disappearing off the face of the earth. Is there? I have no right to laugh again. About anything. Ever.

  She giggles in a sweet, childlike manner, filling her mouth with food, and I laugh again
in nervous reaction, wanting to respond to her. To reassure her in some way perhaps, that we should maintain a measure of normality in our crisis.

  No, it's actually far more likely, that madness has finally overwhelmed me. And I haven't the faintest idea how to handle any of this.

  The door swings open and he walks out of the bathroom, towel slung low around his bottom half, confidence oozing from every squeaky clean pore. I can't help it. I have a good look. And my mouth waters. He has a lot of appeal. Well, he's appealing to me, but then again, I'm emotionally, and probably mentally, unbalanced. And no one could blame me for going a bit man-crazy just now, could they? He could be the last one left... anywhere.

  “Alright, Jammy boy?” Evelyn says, in between chewing, with her mouth over full.

  I snort quietly to myself at her name for him.

  He's definitely not jammy at the moment or any kind of boy... he's fit and smoking hot...

  I indulge myself with another long, appreciative look.

  “Yeah, I'm fine...But Gracie, save some of that for me, I'm actually goddamn starving,” and he smiles, very sexily, and very obviously, at me.

  Strangely, his hot smile snaps me out of my wayward thoughts and back to our grim reality.

  “There's enough to feed the whole of the US marine corp. No worries,” I reply as he grabs his clothes from his chair and takes them next door to dress.

  We sit picking at our food, silently, lost in our thoughts until he returns.

  And there he is, standing before me, hands on hips, looking very large and totally in command of the situation. Although, from his expression, I'm not sure he really feels that way.

  He leans down toward me and takes some food and a glass of drink. The OJ disappears pretty fast and he shoves a whole handful of nuts in his mouth, crunching them, open mouthed, noisily.

  I raise my eyebrows. There's no need for bad manners.

  “Right girls... listen up... it's like this... my plan... of sorts is....”

  “Oh good. You have a plan? We're safe then. What would we do without you?”