by James Hunt
Paul fell back on his pillow and exhaled in heavy relief.
“I’ve got to get out of this town. No more wasting time.”
“Have you talked with the Sheriff about it yet?”
“He’s outside waiting for me. Probably wants me to do his laundry, but I’ve had enough.”
“You really expect him to just give you a car?”
“It’s what he promised. Why wouldn’t I expect it? And what has your deal been lately, anyway?”
“What do you mean?” Jordan asked, slightly annoyed by Paul’s tone.
“Are you staying here or what? You haven’t even mentioned it.”
“I don’t know yet. They have a good setup.”
“But what about—” Paul began to ask.
“What about what?”
“Nothing. It’s none of my business, I guess. But aren’t you curious about what’s out there? What the rest of the world looks like right now?”
“I’ve wondered on a daily basis.”
“By listening to a radio all day?”
“Better than digging holes,” Jordan said with a slightly mocking tone.
Paul stood up from his bed in anger.
“I just don’t get you. I thought we were on a mission. Now it’s like, you’re just okay with everything. Is it the nurse?”
Jordan’s expression dropped to an angry frown. Paul thought he may have crossed the line.
“Her name’s Margie, and you know something, Paul, you’re right. It is none of your business. Now you better hurry outside, the Sheriff’s waiting for you.”
A silence filled the room. Jordan fell back on his pillow, turned over and faced the wall. Paul saw little point in continuing their talk. He threw some clothes on in a hurry and stormed out.
The Sheriff was waiting in the driveway of the townhouse, dressed and ready for the day. He didn’t wear the same clothes everyday as much as he wore the same type of clothes: blue jeans, work boots, a button up long-sleeved shirt, and of course, his hat and sunglasses. There was no one else standing around and Paul grew excited. It looked as if they were ready to talk business. Paul rubbed his hands together to warm them. The air was cold and brisk enough to give him goose bumps.
“Morning, Sheriff,” he said trying to start off on a friendly tone.
“Morning,” the Sheriff responded then he got right to the point. “We got a situation here. People are getting sick. I don’t know exactly what it is. Our nurse, Margie, is looking into it. Lots of high temperatures, stomachaches. One lady, Mrs. Saunders, even reported vomiting.”
The subject so far was not car related, and Paul found himself tuning the Sheriff out. He looked to the bunker construction and saw a much smaller team than the day before. The cement, foundation, and frame for the bunkers had been laid, but there was still plenty of work to be done. The Sheriff noticed Paul looking in the direction of the bunkers.
“As you can see, our work team is a little small today, but that’s not only because of illnesses. I rounded up a group of people to make a supply run. I wanted you to be a part of the team.”
Paul was shocked and angered at the request. He officially felt like he was being used, which, in turn, made him defensive. He thought of grabbing Julie then and there and leaving the town on foot. He thought for a moment and tried to choose his words carefully.
“Sheriff. You told me three days ago that if I helped out around here, you would get me some transportation so that I could find my wife. I don’t want to disregard whatever is happening around here, but a deal is a deal.”
Paul stopped and tried to read the Sheriff’s face for a response. His face said nothing. His mouth was a straight line and his eyes were impossible to see behind his sunglasses. His hands rested on his hips. Perhaps Paul had been too direct.
“I think I need to get my daughter and get out of here, especially if there’s some contagion in the air,” he continued.
The Sheriff remained silent as Paul grew nervous.
“I don’t mean to sound callous. I just really think that, as far as the safety of my daughter is concerned, that we should leave.”
The Sheriff backed away from Paul coldly, but his tone was courteous.
“I can understand where you’re coming from, and I know I made a promise to you that you have every right to hold me to.”
Paul waited patiently for the “but” in the Sheriff’s response.
“But,” he continued, “we’re undergoing an unexpected crisis here, and I need your help. We’ve got to get things under control before this thing spreads. You want to walk out those gates, there’s nothing I can do to stop you, but all I’m asking for is just a little more patience, a day or two max.”
“And if I leave today, I suppose the car is off the table then?” Paul asked.
“We need every running vehicle for the supply trip today. Margie is working on a list of stuff. Antibiotics, ibuprofen, things like that.”
Paul could feel anger rising from within. The entire situation felt manipulative to Paul, as if he was being tricked into staying. Maybe every resident in New Haven had started out the same way.
“What exactly do you want me to do anyway?” Paul asked.
“I want you to lead the group. Get with Margie. She’ll have a list for you. Go into town and get medical supplies. We’re down to a couple bottles of aspirin and little else.”
“Lead the group?” Paul asked. “Don’t you have anyone else?”
“Sure I do, but I want that person to be you.”
Paul scratched his head in frustration.
“This is a lot to take in, Sheriff. Who else is going?”
“Well, you know Rob and Carlie, right? Then there’s David and Ryan. Some of the same people that went with us to meet the other camp. So what do you say?”
“How can you assure me that Julie won’t get sick with each minute that we’re here?”
“I can’t, but if she stays in her room until you get back, she should be fine.”
“Two days,” Paul said. “I’ll stay for two more days, but I want to make sure that you’ll hold up to the end of your original offer.”
“I have no reason not to, Paul,” the Sheriff answered.
“I’ve got to talk to my daughter now. When and where are we meeting?”
“Nurse Margie’s house. The whole team will be waiting for you.”
Paul walked back to the house.
The Sheriff called for him again, causing him to turn around.
“I do thank you for this,” the Sheriff said.
“Don’t mention it,” Paul replied.
Paul knocked on Julie’s door in a panic. There was no answer.
“Julie, open up, I need to talk with you.”
Jordan opened the door from their room next to Julie’s and stuck his head out.
“She left about an hour ago,” he said.
“What?” Paul asked. “How do you know, what did she say?”
“I saw her when I came in this morning. She was leaving. I think she said she was going to her friend Tommy’s house for breakfast.”
“Where does he live?” Paul asked with urgency.
Julie stood at the front door of Tommy’s house as his mother, Reba, answered. Tommy had invited Julie to breakfast the day before, and while she initially declined, the boy was starting to grow on her. He promised pancakes and eggs and a chance to meet his pet hamster, Wilson. Julie was bored enough to finally give in. She wondered if Tommy was becoming a sort of friend. She had begun to dislike him less and less.
“So you’re Tommy’s friend? Nice to meet you, I’m his mother, Reba,” the woman who answered the door said with a smile. Her face looked exhausted as if she’d been up all night. Her nose was stuffed up and her cheeks were puffy. “Tommy had told me you were coming to breakfast, but there’s been a little change of plans.” Before she went on any further, Reba opened the door for Julie to enter.
“Please, come in,” she said.
Julie walked in the hous
e and into the nearby living room as Reba directed her to sit on the couch. As Julie sat, Reba continued.
“I don’t want to alarm you, but Tommy is a little under the weather today. Something must be going around. We certainly don’t want you catching anything, so it looks like we’ll have to do breakfast another time.”
The house was dark, as all the blinds were closed. Julie didn’t see anyone else around and began to wonder if she had even gone to the right house. Suddenly, Tommy’s strained voice cried out from a bedroom down the hall.
“Mom,” he said.
Reba looked up in concern, then to Julie. “I’m sorry, I’ll be right back,” she said with a smile as she walked away.
“This is stupid, I should just leave,” Julie said under her breath. She could hear murmurs from the other room, then the swishing of Reba’s bathrobe as she walked back to the living room.
“Tommy asked to see you before you go,” Reba said.
“Why?” Julie asked.
“He said you were leaving town soon with your dad, and that he wanted to say goodbye.”
Julie stood up from the couch and shook her head in agreement. “Okay, that’s fine, I guess.”
“Just don’t get too close to him,” Reba warned. “You don’t want to catch anything.”
With that, Julie walked into the even darker hallway toward Tommy’s bedroom. As she entered the room, Tommy attempted to sit up in his bed and look normal, though his face indicated a pale sickness. “You don’t have to come any closer,” he said. “I just wanted to say bye.”
Julie stopped right past his door and observed Tommy. He had blankets up to his chest, a pale face and red ears. His hair was wet with sweat, and he appeared to be shaking. “How did you get sick?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Tommy said while coughing. “I woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat. My mom says I might have a fever.”
“I’m sorry,” Julie said.
“It’s not your fault,” Tommy said.
“I know, I’m just saying sorry that you’re sick.”
“So I guess you’re leaving today?” Tommy asked.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Well, let me know when you find your mom. You can write me, you know. I can give you my address.”
“Um. I guess so.”
Julie stood across from Tommy as they looked at each other without words. Tommy attempted to sit in a more upright position, but he coughed with every movement. “Let me write it down for you,” he said.
Paul ran to the front door of Tommy’s house and banged on the door as if he were the police. He heard the front deadbolt unlock as Reba opened the door to a crack.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m Julie’s father,” Paul answered.
He was gasping while trying to catch his breath. He placed a cloth to his mouth in fear of germs in the air.
“Are there any sick people in this house,” he asked.
Reba looked at him curiously.
“Well, my son came down with something last night, but I don’t really see what that has to do with anything.”
Paul pushed against the door and tried to slip in. His actions shocked Reba and she pushed back against the door in resistance.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” she shouted.
Paul pushed against the door even harder and was able to make his way through.
“Stay away from me,” he said to Reba as he shuttled passed her.
“Julie!” he shouted. “Come here at once.”
He saw Julie look out from a room down at the end of a hallway and immediately ran to her. She was surprised and embarrassed to see Paul burst into the room. He took one look at Tommy and pressed the white cloth harder against his mouth.
“Julie, let’s go,” he mumbled through the cloth.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded. “Why are you covering your face?”
Tommy pulled the covers up to his neck, as he grew uncomfortable with Paul’s unexpected arrival. Reba could be heard charging down the hall. She entered the room moments after Paul.
“What is this all about?” she asked.
Paul backed into a corner attempting to move away Reba, as she didn’t look well herself. He pulled Julie to him while holding the cloth to his face.
“I’m sorry, I just need to get my daughter and leave. There’s something going around and I need to make sure she doesn’t get sick.”
Paul looked to Tommy and was surprised to see that the boy he saw digging around in the dirt the day before had become the pale sickly kid before him.
“I’m sorry, Timmy,” he began.
Julie nudged him. “It’s Tommy,” she whispered forcefully.
“Tommy, of course. I just want you and your mother to know that everything is going to be all right. We’re going to get some medicine today that will make everyone better.”
He looked at Reba with a reassuring smile, but was only met with her cold stare.
“Please, just leave my home,” she said.
Paul pulled Julie with him and slipped toward the door.
“I am sorry for disturbing your family,” he said before leaving.
“What did you do that for?” Julie yelled as they walked back to the townhouse.
Paul looked at the homes along their path and noticed people peering at them through vertical blinds. He felt a certain isolating sense to the town. With illness spreading, people were either getting sick or choosing not to venture outside their homes. Paul wondered what the predicament would do to the Sheriff’s bunker project.
“It’s for your own good,” Paul sternly answered back to Julie.
“I don’t want to alarm you, but we just need to play it safe.”
Paul stopped and halted Julie.
“And what were you doing at this boy’s house anyway?” he asked.
“He invited me to breakfast, but he got sick. You didn’t have to storm in there like a monster.”
“Perhaps I overreacted, but I need you to stay away from everyone right now. I want us to make it out of here, you understand that?” Paul lowered his tone, feeling his point made.
Julie looked at him curiously.
“Why are people getting sick?” she asked.
“Something in the air, I don’t know. Now listen to me, I have to go on a quick supply run, nothing special. I need you to stay in the townhouse and not to leave for any reason.”
Paul’s hands held Julie by her arms as he pleaded in his most sincere tone.
“I take it we’re not leaving today?” she asked.
“Something came up, just a temporary setback, but we’ll be leaving soon, I promise.”
Julie hung her head down toward the ground.
“What’s wrong?” Paul asked.
“I feel bad for Tommy. He didn’t look so good. Is he going to be okay?”
“He should be fine. We just need to get enough medicine for everyone.”
“That’s where you’re going?” she asked.
“Yes, that’s where we’re going. Just stay indoors until I get back. Don’t go anywhere with Jordan or anyone else. And don’t let anyone inside.”
Julie’s blank expression on her face was the best she could do.
Paul lifted her chin up with his thumb.
“Hey, everything is going to be okay.”
“I don’t know if I believe that anymore,” she said.
Paul met his group in the garage of Margie’s quaint two-bedroom home. He had been the last one to arrive, but punctuality was the least of his concerns. He carried a backpack over the shoulder of his jean jacket. His shotgun was slung over his other shoulder. He had never fired it before but felt that it couldn’t be any more difficult than pulling the trigger. He was surprised to find Jordan absent from Margie’s side, but then he remembered Jordan’s supposed late shift in New Haven’s makeshift operations center. The same Ford F250 from their last outing idled in the drive
way with Rob, again, at the wheel. Margie waved to Paul as he approached. He waved back. She was talking with David, the gate guard, as he was attentive to her every word. Paul felt a hand slap across his back and turned to see Carlie standing behind him, smiling.
“Well, if it isn’t the original badass,” Paul said.
“Don’t you forget it,” Carlie said.
“How’s it going?” Paul asked.
Carlie shrugged.
“It’s going. Hey, I heard the Sheriff put you in charge.”
Paul swiped his hand through the air in a disregarding manner.
“No, I’m not in charge of anything. You guys do what you need to do. I’m just along for the ride.”
“Sounds like you’re shrinking from you responsibilities,” Carlie said with a smile.
“It’s more of the Sheriff’s little game. It’s like a father who coaches a high school football team and makes his son the quarterback so he doesn’t quit the team.”
“You suck as a leader, got it,” Carlie said, followed by her distinctive laugh. “Regardless, you better talk to Margie. She’s got quite the wish list.”
“Okay, Carlie. Don’t go too far now,” Paul said.
“There have been growing sanitation issues in New Haven, and some of these cases are directly related to the spread of germs and infection. That’s why it’s important to have sanitation and water purification systems quickly set in place after substantial loss of power and infrastructure,” Margie explained in her lecture-sounding tone.
“You know your stuff,” Paul said.
Margie smiled, but reaffirmed her position.
“Judging by what I’ve seen the past couple of days and the increase of illnesses, it’s not too hard to figure out.”
“The Sheriff told me that you had a list of medical supplies needed.”
“Yes, I do. We kind of got in an argument over me going, but he insisted that I stay here.”
Margie pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Paul.
“So you wanted to go?” Paul asked taking the paper.
“Of course I did,” Marge said. “However, there’s nothing on that list that should be too difficult to find in any standard pharmacy.”
