by Kip Nelson
“I guess we just have different views of humanity,” she said.
“I try seeing the best in people, that's all.”
Grace didn't reply to that, and they remained in silence as they walked. Sweat poured from their bodies even though the air was fresh. Mack was used to this physical exertion but Grace wasn't. When he noticed she was beginning to get fatigued he stopped for a break, taking note of their surroundings every time they stopped, even though to Grace the woods looked the same.
“Why do you keep doing that?” she asked.
“Doing what?”
“Looking around at the trees and stuff every time we stop.”
“It's called observing and being aware of your surroundings, to make sure we're going in the right direction.”
“And what direction is that exactly? I assume you have a plan to get us somewhere useful and that we're not just going to wander blindly through the forest?”
Mack suppressed a chuckle. “Why do you think I have a plan, because I'm in the army?”
“Don't you people always have a plan for every letter of the alphabet?”
“Right now I have a couple.”
“So are you going to tell me?”
“There's a military bunker in the area. I figure we head there. Hopefully they've set up a base of operations and we can rendezvous with them and start to branch out, maybe find some more people and start to build a community.”
“Great, and I'm sure they'll have a prison to throw me in. I think I prefer this freedom.”
“I'm sure if you can contribute to society we can work out some sort of arrangement. But if that doesn't work then we should head to the nearest city. Somewhere out there people are going to be working together and forming new communities. It will take time, but we can rebuild our society.”
“If you say so. I hope this bunker isn't far. My legs are aching already.”
“You'll have to get used to that, I'm afraid. With the EMP having hit I doubt we're going to find any functioning cars or motorcycles.”
“I thought you didn't know much about EMPs?” she said, a little surprised.
“I know a little, but I wanted to get you thinking about something else other than the accident.”
Grace went quiet for a moment before she said, “It was terrible. I can't believe all those people just died. How did we survive?”
“Did you notice what happened when the plane started to go down?”
Grace shook her head, “People started screaming, I guess.”
“Exactly. They panicked and forget about the safety procedures. It all happened so fast, I can't blame them really, but in situations like that you have to try keeping a clear head. The brace position works, but sadly nobody else remembered to do it.”
“You saved my life,” she said starkly, not having realized it before. They stopped walking.
“You sound surprised. Did you really think I was going to let you die?”
After Grace didn't answer Mack turned his back on her and added, “Maybe I just didn't want a corpse handcuffed to me. But either way, you can thank me by keeping up. I'd rather keep up a good pace so we can get to the bunker quickly.”
They continued to walk for the better part of the day, stopping occasionally so Grace could catch her breath and rest her muscles. The walking was hard and Mack kept up a strong pace, so there wasn't much time for them to talk. The forest didn't seem to change much, but at a certain point it thinned out into a clearing and there was a small hut set in the copse of trees. Grace held Mack back when he went to go in, and he looked at her quizzically.
“What if there are people there?” she asked in a hushed whisper.
“I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt,” he said, and walked forward.
As they moved around to the front of the hut they could see that it had no door. So they announced their presence, but there was no answer. Mack stepped in, much to the shock of Grace, who hopped after him. Her eyes were darting about, full of anxiety and paranoia for she was used to people hunting her every move. In contrast Mack was relaxed, confident in his ability to handle any situation that may arise.
Inside the hut was a small desk. It seemed to belong to a ranger who oversaw the forest, although where he was at the moment they did not know. There wasn't much in the way of supplies, but there was a map of the local area. Now that they had found some shelter Mack suggested they rest and have a bite to eat. Grace gladly slipped off the backpack and groaned as she settled into a chair. She hungrily ate the rationed portion of bland food they had taken, and sipped some water as Mack had instructed. Meanwhile, Mack pored over the map and tried to figure out exactly where they were.
“Seems this forest goes on a while, but there's a city to the northeast. We should head there if the bunker doesn't pan out,” he said.
“How did you know about the bunker anyway? I don't even know where the hell we are.”
“Because before we left I checked the flight route. It was part of my job to know where these installations were. I also looked at the last coordinates of the plane when I was in the cockpit. Like I said, it's important to be aware of your surroundings. There's information all around you.”
Grace sighed and idly chewed her food. She leaned back in the chair and placed one hand across her stomach. “I guess there are some people suited for a world like this and some people that aren't.”
“Don't beat yourself up about it. We just have a different set of skills. If you put your mind to it, you can learn anything.”
“I spent all my life learning how to manipulate code and work my way through a virtual world. I'm a little lost right now,” she said, staring up at the ceiling. Although Mack still was unsure what to make of her he did feel protective of her. Perching himself on the edge of the desk he placed his hands in his lap and looked at her.
“I've trained my whole life to have these skills. I'm sure I can teach you a thing or two if you pay attention. Do you feel a little helpless right now?”
“Yes. I've never liked relying on other people and I don't want to have to start now. But I know that if I'm on my own I probably won't survive the night.”
“So you feel like you've lost a lot, like your entire abilities.”
“Yeah, at least in the old world I knew my place; I had a purpose. Right now I don't know what I'm supposed to do.”
Mack let the comment linger in the air before he spoke again. He sidled toward Grace and reached over to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The gesture surprised her as it was a far cry from the sharp touch which had forced her head down between her knees, ultimately saving her life. In all honesty, she wasn't used to such affectionate touches.
“Before I joined the army I didn't have a place in the world either, but through it I developed skills and abilities that I never knew I had. It's often scary to be thrust into a new situation with no idea how to handle it or what to do, but as long as we remain calm we can make it through this. I don't know what's out there waiting for us, but I know that we can face it together and, you never know, we may meet some new friends along the way. Now, you should get some rest. It's been a long day for both of us and we've still got a way to go.”
Grace nodded, and as soon as she lay on the floor she felt sleepy, yawning loudly. Back in the old world, as she now had to think of it, she had been a night owl, staying up until daybreak fueled by energy drinks and coffee. But there was none of that now, and the stress coupled with the exertion meant that she fell asleep almost immediately. However, just before she dozed off she cast a glance toward Mack. He, too, was laying down, but as the dimming light beamed through the open door Grace saw that he kissed the picture she had seen him looking at earlier. As her eyes finally closed in slumber she was left wondering who that woman was.
CHAPTER FIVE
WHEN THEY AWOKE they stretched their limbs, and once again Grace bemoaned her lack of physical fitness. Mack seemed unperturbed by the previous day's exertions, an
d he looked amused at the poor state of Grace's health.
“You see, your generation can talk all they like about how great technology is but it's only made you unfit. It won't be long until you get used to it, though,” Mack said.
“Unless I die first,” Grace said in a dry tone, and at that moment death didn't seem far off.
Mack was busy working out the best route to the bunker. Although it wasn't marked on the map, which only showed the general area, he knew the coordinates and marked it on the map himself. They were still a few days walk away from the bunker, and when he relayed this news Grace almost collapsed to the floor. Mack stood over her and looked down upon her with a stern look in his eyes.
“I know you don't think you can do this, but you can. Humans were built for survival. It's in our DNA. Think back to our earliest ancestors. You say we're not far removed from cavemen. Well, they used to hunt and forage and they lived to evolve into us. If you want to prove your point, then you'll show me you're the same as them. Self-pity isn't going to get us anywhere. Now, it's going to be a few days until we get to the bunker and we're going to have to walk at a fast pace to get there. It's going to go a lot easier if you accept that and try to fight the urge to give up.”
He spoke in a strong, clipped tone and the authority with which he spoke instantly touched on her rebellious urges. She scowled at him, but didn't argue back because she knew there was no point, and also because she didn't have the energy.
They had a bit of breakfast then hauled their packs over the shoulders and continued traveling. They walked through the forest, and in an effort to adjust to this new world Grace tried observing the forest. She tried seeing what it was that Mack saw, but everything looked the same to her. It was difficult to concentrate on anything other than the dryness of her throat, the heaving of her chest, or the weight of the pack on her shoulders, but she didn't want to give Mack the satisfaction of seeing her falter. She wanted to prove to him she was every bit as capable as he was at making it through this ordeal. Although, secretly, she hoped some other group would find them before they made it to the bunker. She didn't like the idea of being a criminal when the world had changed.
As the days went by they walked through the forest, wishing the sun was a little cooler. Mack held up the map occasionally and adjusted their trajectory when he thought they were going off-course. There was a river on the map, but it was a little out of their way. So they weren't making their way to it just yet. When they stopped they talked. Grace was tempted to ask him about the picture he was carrying, but she never managed to summon the courage. Despite the change in circumstances, Mack was still the authority figure and Grace never quite had managed to get along with them.
When night fell Mack taught Grace how to build a fire. They had lighters and matches, but Mack said it was a valuable skill, and at some point they were bound to run out. He fetched some dry wood and kindling, then rubbed two sticks together. It seemed so simple when he did it, but it took Grace a few nights to get the hang of it. When she finally made a spark of fire light up and take hold of the kindling she clapped her hands and beamed. For the first time since the accident she actually felt useful. As they lay under the stars both of them gazed up through the trees and basked in the glow of the stars. It was a beautiful sight, and much different than the view in the city where the light pollution often obscured much of the beauty of the night sky.
“It seems so strange that it's so quiet out here when there are probably riots happening all over the world,” Grace said one night as they were settling down to sleep.
“It's probably best not to think about that,” Mack said, his voice tense. They were running low on water. So he told Grace to try saving her voice to prevent drying out her throat, but she got the sense he was trying to change the subject on purpose.
“Mack...who is she?” Grace asked. The question had been lingering in her mind ever since she had seen him look at the picture shortly after the crash. Ever since then she noticed that he kissed the picture every night when he thought she was sleeping.
“Who is who?”
“The woman in the picture. I know you kiss it before you go to sleep. Is it your wife? Girlfriend? Daughter? Is she in a city?”
Mack sucked in air and debated whether to tell her the truth. Eventually, he decided that they were going to be together for the foreseeable future, and if he wanted to foster trust between them he should disclose some things about his life, even if he would rather not talk about the grim truth.
“Her name is Anna. She's my wife and, yes, she lives in the city. I was going to see her after I dropped you off, actually. You were my last mission before I retired.”
“Oh...I'm sorry,” she said, because she didn't know what else to say.
“Thanks. It's kinda funny; just before the crash I was thinking about what life was going to be like when I got home. We were going to start a family, you see. But now, well, I hope she's alright.”
“If she's anything like you then I'm sure she is.”
Mack smirked. “Actually she's the complete opposite. She's one of those people who can talk to someone and have them in the palm of her hand instantly. She's a free spirit, so artistic and creative. Whenever she does anything she's just naturally good at it. Sometimes I'm still amazed that she fell in love with me.”
“How did the two of you meet?”
“I was following a... person of interest. He was going to be at an art gallery, so I went there. Turns out he never showed up, but I had to wait, just in case. I tried to feign interest in the paintings, but I never really had much interest in art. Anna came up to me and asked me what I thought. So I told her the truth, not realizing she was the artist. She laughed it off, though, and took me around the gallery explaining the meanings behind all the paintings. I'm still not sure I understood exactly what she was going on about, but I was completely enchanted and didn't even realize that, by that point, the two of us were the only ones in the gallery. For some reason that I can't fathom she agreed to see me again. After that I thanked my lucky stars every day. It hasn't been easy, as my job takes me all around the world, so we said we'd hold off on a family until I retired, but now...well...”
“Do you think you'll ever see her again?” Grace asked softly.
“I hope so.”
He pushed himself up on his elbows and handed the photograph to Grace, so she could see it properly, and commented that Anna was, indeed, beautiful. She was the kind of woman who only seemed to exist in movies, and if you saw her she would have seemed like a dream. It was a far cry from Grace's dyed hair and tattooed skin. She handed the photograph back to Mack.
“Is there anyone you're wondering about; do you have a family?” he asked.
“No. I've been alone for as long as I can remember. It's easier that way.”
“It won't be so easy now. What about the people in your hacker group?”
Mack couldn't see it, but Grace blanched at this. She buried her head against the ground, signaling she wanted to sleep. “I never met any of them. They weren't real, just a bunch of code names, just like I was C1PH3R. We all had them. We never exchanged any personal information. I hope you find your wife one day, though. I'm sorry that you're stuck here with me.”
Mack wasn't sure what to say in response to that. For the first time he looked at Grace in a new light. He couldn't imagine living life in the way that she had, always alone, always locked in a virtual world. In that moment he swore to himself that he would protect her and make sure she survived this apocalypse. But deep down he wished he was with Anna. His place was with her, and all he could think about was what horrors she had suffered. He knew Grace most likely was correct in that the city would be filled with people rioting, and not knowing Anna's fate wrenched at his heart. There was a part of him that thought he may never find out, but as soon as he could he was going to make his way back to their home and try finding any trace of her. That was his mission now, and he was going to do everything he could to s
ee that he succeeded at it.
They awoke the next morning fully rested, but sighed as they looked at their dwindling rations of food and water. When they first packed supplies from the crashed plane it seemed like they had more than was needed. In fact, they had left bottles of water there because there simply had been too many to carry. Yet, despite how heavy her pack had been Grace found herself wishing she had taken more.
“Are we going to have to go to the river?” Grace said.
“That's out of our way.”
“But if it's the only place we can get water...”
“We'll be alright. I'm sure there will be a stream leading off from the river that flows around here. Hopefully, if we walk quickly enough we'll be able to make it to the bunker before we run out.”
“And if we don't?”
“Then we'll improvise,” he said, smirking at her.
“I don't know how you can be so calm about things. We could die at any moment.”
“That's no different from how it was in the world before. It's no use worrying about anything because it's not practical.”
“I wish I could turn off my anxiety just like that.”
“Maybe in time you will. For now, just try to keep focused on the task at hand and don't let your mind wander.”
“Easier said than done...and what are we supposed to do for food, by the way?”
“I'm going to teach you how to hunt.”
“Hunting! That's barbaric. I'm not going to kill a defenseless animal.”
“Are you a vegetarian?” Mack asked as he hoisted his pack onto his back and folded the map into his back pocket. Grace wearily lifted herself off the floor and stretched her muscles before picking up her own pack, although it seemed even heavier than it had the previous day.
“No, I just don't like the idea of killing something.”
“But animals had to be killed for you to eat them?”
