by E A Chance
It was the twentieth house they’d seen that was still standing. The other nineteen had been cleaned out without a scrap of food, a drop of clean water or even a shoe left behind. Riley wondered why Angie thought this one would be any different.
“Didn’t you notice there’s no door, Angie?” Coop said.
“I’m not talking about the house. I meant that big workshop near the woods in the back,” she replied.
Coop moved the truck so they could all see the large metal building that backed up to the tree line. It looked like a woodworking shop. A heavy padlock hung from the door handle.
“That’s definitely worth a look,” Coop said. “Riley, please grab the crowbar and come with me.”
Riley’s feet felt like blocks of ice, and the last thing she wanted to do was leave the warm truck, but they were almost out of gas. If there was anything in that building that would improve their dire situation, she had to try. She got out and opened the tailgate to get the crowbar as Coop ran across the grass with paper towels and grocery bags on his feet. She ran to the shed and peered in the window as he worked to break the lock. Trunks, cabinets, and boxes lined the walls. There had to be something of use to them.
She heard a metal pop, then stepped back as Coop slid the doors open. They went in and started opening the cabinets, drawers and trunks. There was no food, but they found three cases of bottled water, two full gas cans and a siphon hose. Best of all was the old hunting clothes and boots. They’d be too big for the women but better than nothing.
“Get the others in here,” Coop said. “Let’s load up as much as we can and get out of here before anyone sees us. Then, we’ll search for food. The girls must be starving.”
Riley went to the edge of the yard and waved for the others to join them. Within minutes, the floor of the workshop looked like a weekend rummage sale.
“Look what I found,” Julia said, showing them an old shotgun she'd taken out of a trunk. “It was wrapped in a towel, with three boxes of shells.”
“Excellent,” Coop said. “Add it to the pile.”
The shotgun would come in handy if they were forced to hunt for food. A further search of the workshop yielded three small propane tanks, a rope, and a tarp. The items weren’t top priorities, but they’d found enough to keep them alive until they could replenish their supplies. What they needed most were food and more fuel. Coop poured the gas they’d taken from the workshop into the tank and charted their course for Warrenton, the next town on their route.
Chapter Nine
“I won’t be going on with you after Warrenton,” Angie said as they neared the town.
Riley turned and peered at her over the seat. “You’re staying?”
“Yes, if I can find someone willing to take me in.”
“You can’t leave us,” Hannah said and grasped Angie’s hand. “You’re part of our family.”
“Leave her be, Hannah,” Riley said, without taking her eyes off Angie. “Mind if I ask why?”
She lowered her head and put a hand over her eyes. “I have to find some way to get home to my children. They don’t know about their father or that I’m alive.”
Riley recognized the anguish in Angie’s face. Her thoughts raced back to the day she had to tell her children that Zach was dead. Her parents offered to do it in her place, but she knew the news had to come from her. As devastating as that had been, it was nothing compared to what Angie was suffering. She’d seen her husband die, and she had no way of knowing if her children were alive.
She swallowed her grief and said, “I understand that you’re anxious to get back to them, but is it worth taking up with strangers who could be dangerous?”
“You were strangers. There must be others like you. I’m banking on the hope that not everyone has turned evil.”
“Don’t count on that,” Julia said and rubbed her bruised eye. “You’re the only nice person we’ve met. Come with us to my uncle’s ranch until it gets warmer. Then, we’ll help you get home.”
“That’s kind of you, Julia, and I appreciate all you’ve done to help. I couldn’t have survived another night in that hellish plane any more than Kyle could, but you’re heading too far in the wrong direction. Look how long it’s taken you to get this far from D.C. and you’ve been on the road for two days.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Coop said. “We’ll help you find a safe group for you to travel with, if you’re right and such a thing still exists.”
“I’ll miss you,” Hannah said and rested her head on Angie’s shoulder.
Coop exited the highway and navigated toward the center of town. The streets were quiet and empty. Smoke rising from scattered chimneys was the only sign of life. They reached the main thoroughfare and passed a large church with a full parking lot.
Riley leaned forward to get a better look. “Why is the parking lot filled with cars that aren’t wrecked?” She glanced at her watch. “It’s Sunday. Do you think they’re having church?”
Coop put the truck in park. “Unlikely but possible.”
“What better place to gather in a crisis?” Angie said. “We should check to see if there are people inside. It could be an emergency shelter. They might have food.”
Hannah sat forward and leaned over the front seat. “Can we check, Coop? I’m starving.”
“Me, too,” Julia chimed in. “And they could have cots and clothes that fit us better.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but we can’t take the risk,” Coop said. “It’s safer to avoid large crowds. We passed plenty of shops full of clothes, and we’ll find food somewhere else.”
Angie unhooked her seatbelt. “Drop me off, then. I’m willing to risk it.”
“We can’t let you go alone,” Riley said and touched Coop’s arm. “We don’t have to stay, but we should at least look. They could have useful information about what’s ahead at the very least.”
Coop eyed her for a moment, then shifted into drive and turned into the parking lot. “On your heads be it. Girls, get down and wait here with the doors locked.”
“We know the drill,” Julia said, as she pulled a blanket over her head.
Angie walked ahead of Coop and Riley, and when she was out of earshot, Riley said, “If the situation inside passes muster, would you consider staying? We need time to catch our breath and rest.”
Coop stopped and turned with his back to Angie. “You just told Angie we can’t trust strangers.”
Riley stared at the large, intricately carved wooden doors of the church. “Reminds me of our church back home. It feels familiar.”
Coop put a hand on her shoulder. “The people inside might not even be the members of the congregation. They could have come from anywhere, like us. No matter how safe it appears, we don’t know who we can trust, just like you told Angie. Let’s not make any judgments until we see who’s inside.”
Riley nodded. “Fair enough, but keep an open mind.”
“Fine, but my gut is telling me to be wary of any crowds.”
Coop did a quick final inspection of his handgun before knocking. The door opened seconds later to reveal a tall Germanic-looking man with a kind, open face despite the shotgun resting on his shoulder. Coop’s hand instinctively moved to his holster. The man stiffened until he noticed Riley and Angie.
He lowered the gun and stuck out a hand the size of a plate. “Brett Collins. Sorry about the gun, but we never know who we’ll be facing when we open the door. Is it just the three of you?”
Coop stared at Mr. Collins's enormous proffered hand for a moment before shaking it without answering his question. “Neal Cooper. We saw the cars in the parking lot and thought we’d stop.”
It was strange for Riley to hear Coop drop his doctor's title and nickname to call himself Neal. It signaled for her to be on her guard.
Brett gave their odd attire a look before saying, “Looks like you’ve had some trouble, but who hasn’t these days? We don’t have much. Come in and see what we can do to help.”
/> Coop gave a restrained smile. “That’s kind of you.”
Riley stepped forward and offered her hand. “Dr. Riley Poole. Please, call me Riley.”
She could feel Coop frowning behind her, but she saw no harm in being honest. Letting them know she was a doctor could be a valuable bargaining chip.
Brett smiled. “A doctor? Excellent news. We have sick and injured here and can really use your help.”
“Coop’s a doctor, too,” Angie blurted out, and Coop’s frown grew exponentially.
Riley tried to hide her smile. “This is our new friend, Angie Hughes.”
Brett nodded and motioned for them to follow him down a flight of stairs to a large social hall beneath the chapel. The crowd grew quiet when they entered and fifty pairs of eyes stared back at them.
“We have a few more friends to join us,” Brett said. “These are Drs. Neal Cooper and Riley Poole, their friend Angie Hughes.”
The occupants broke into action at once and crowded around them.
A slightly overweight middle-aged woman placed a stack of blankets and a pillow in Riley’s hands. “Mercy Billings here,” she said and pointed to the far corner. “We have three cots left. Just enough.”
“Thank you,” Riley said. “Are all of you members of the congregation?”
“Most, but some are transplants like you. We were preparing an emergency shelter as a precaution when the CME hit. We didn’t think we’d all need to make use of it.”
“How come you didn’t stay in your homes and distribute food and supplies from here?”
“Safety in numbers. Some have stayed in their homes, but bands of mercenaries have started terrorizing residents in the area.”
Riley nodded. “We’ve run into a few of those ourselves. You’re smart to stay together.”
She carried the blankets to the corner and put them on one of the cots. She bumped into Coop as she turned to go back for the girls. He was jumpy and kept nervously scanning the room.
“I don’t like this. The room is overcrowded and the only exit is up the stairs. We’d be trapped in a fire or an attack. Angie can stay if she wants, but we’re leaving.”
Riley crossed her arms. “I’m not going anywhere except to get the girls. Coop, we’re exhausted and starving. It’s been a helluva a few days. We need to stay. I never thought I’d be the one to say this, but you’re overreacting. That’s usually my department. It is crowded in here, but these people seem harmless enough.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what it is. Just a feeling.”
Riley wrapped her hands around his. “Take a breath. Let’s get something to eat and see to the sick and wounded. That will get us on their good side. After we’ve had a rest, we’ll go in search of supplies. Come with me to the truck.”
She tugged his hands to get him moving. He reluctantly allowed her to lead him through the crowd to where Brett stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“We left our teenage daughters in the truck, just to be safe,” Coop told him. “We'll bring them down, then have a look at your sick and wounded.”
“I’m grateful, and your girls are welcome. We have a nice group of kids here,” Brett said. “And we’ll see if we can find you some clothes.”
Julia and Hannah practically jumped for joy when Riley told them what awaited in the church. Once they were inside, three girls their age hugged them and took them to find clothing and food.
Brett had been right about not having much to offer, but Riley’s stomach growled at what there was. The food was mostly canned vegetables and meat with a few protein bars, cracker packs and granola bars. A teenage boy guarding the table handed her a can opener. She ate a small can of tuna, some corn and a granola bar. It felt like a feast.
With her hunger satisfied, she asked Mercy to show her who needed medical help. Coop joined them a few minutes later. Most of the patients had injuries like what they’d seen in the hotel; burns, broken bones and cuts. A few more had coughs from smoke inhalation or intestinal infections, most likely from drinking unsterilized water. Anyone with more critical injuries most likely would have died by that time.
She and Coop spent an hour doing what little they could to help them with the scant supplies on hand. They’d need a list of essential items to look for on their run even though odds of finding what they needed were slim.
Riley found Hannah and Julia regaling a circle of teenagers with their harrowing adventure. She interrupted Julia and whispered that she needed to talk to her.
“We’re going on a supply run. Get whatever you want to take with you. Coop’s waiting.”
Julia tugged on her arm to pull her away from the group. “Do Hannah and I have to go? These people are so nice, and Angie’s here. We can stay with her.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I’m not comfortable leaving you here,” she whispered. “I’m sure these people are perfectly safe, but I want you with me.”
Julia folded her arms and stuck out her lip. Riley caught a flash of her other daughter Emily in the mannerism and almost broke into the tears, but Hannah came up behind her and the moment passed.
Hannah glanced at Julia. “What’s the matter?”
“She’s making us go look for supplies with them. I asked her to let us stay, but she won’t. We have to get back in that stupid truck.”
“I’m glad,” Hannah said. “I’m tired of being left behind.”
Julia eyed her in surprise, then nodded. “Fine, but we’d better find some better treats. I’m still starving.”
Riley saw Coop by the stairs, tapping his watch to get her to hurry. “Thank you, Julia,” she said. “Say goodbye to your new friends, and let’s go.”
They raced up the stairs after Coop and found Brett back at his post by the doors.
He handed Coop a clipboard. “You need to sign out each time you leave. It helps us keep track of who’s coming and going. Make sure to sign in when you return.”
Coop scratched his signature onto the list, and said, “Will do,” before rushing off to the truck with the girls in tow.
Riley signed her name and thanked Brett. “We were in dire need of help. We appreciate you taking us in. I don’t know what we would have done.”
“I should be thanking you for treating our people. We’ve lost several. I’m sure you understand.”
“More than you know. We’ll try to find more medical supplies.”
“We’d be grateful.”
She was about to ask who was in charge of the group when Coop honked the horn and signaled for her to come to the truck. She gave Brett a quick smile and rushed across the parking lot.
“We only have a few hours,” Coop said when she got in. “I want to find a place to stay tonight before dark.”
Coop’s tension visibly diminished the farther they got from the church. He parallel-parked in front of a florist shop and drooped against the seat with his eyes closed.
Riley studied him for a moment, confused by his behavior. “What’s going on with you? I wouldn’t have pegged you as the claustrophobic type.”
“I’m not. I wish I could say that it’s sleep deprivation or a delayed reaction to the Crawford incident and the fire, but it’s not that either. A hundred people crammed into that basement with only one exit feels like a recipe for disaster. You may be right that I’m overreacting, but I’m not spending a single night in that place.”
“I like it there,” Julia said. Riley glared at her and she closed her mouth.
Riley took a beat to stop herself from blurting out her own thoughts. They’d found the first group willing to help them since the CME and Coop wanted to run in the opposite direction. They were all beyond exhausted and needed food and a safe place to rest. How could he ask her to walk away from that?
“I know your hunches have been right until now, and you’ve saved us more than once, but you’re wrong this time. It would be irresponsible for me to drag the girls out of that church tonight. If you aren’t willing to stay, you�
��ll have to go off on your own, but I’m keeping the truck.”
She noticed Julia fidgeting uncomfortably in the back seat. She would have preferred to have the uncomfortable conversation out of earshot of the girls.
Coop opened his eyes and stared at her. “Don’t be so dramatic. We’re not splitting up. How about a compromise? If I find a place where you’d feel safe spending the night, will you bring the girls and come with me?”
She hesitated to mull it over. She couldn't imagine finding a setup a good as the church, but if she agreed to his terms and he found another option, she’d be forced to go with him or separate from him.
Deciding to play the odds, she put out her hand and said, “I agree, but I decide what’s safe.”
Coop eagerly shook her hand. “Deal. Let’s get to work.”
They got out of the truck and surveyed the buildings along the surrounding blocks. Most were quaint shops, art galleries and local restaurants. The restaurants or markets would have been emptied days earlier, so there was no point in checking those, so they decided to widen their search.
Coop drove in ever-widening circles for over an hour until he found a quaint general store and café tucked off the road behind an antique store.
“Perfect,” he said, as he jumped out of the truck and ran in through the unlocked doors with the other three on his heels.
Roughly two-thirds of the food shelves were empty, but there was enough left to fill four plastic bags with food. Riley found a box of cinnamon buns and handed it to Julia. She and Hannah sat down on a stack of laundry detergent boxes to devour them.
Riley found a one-pound bag of her favorite tortilla chips and a jar of salsa. She downed half the bag before handing to Hannah. “Carry me to the car if I fall into a food coma,” she told Coop.
He laughed and opened a bag to show her his treasures; five cans of spam, six cans of sardines, and a box of bison jerky packets. “I can’t believe no one took this stuff.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Can’t you?”
“Great sources of protein. You’ll be thanking me.”
