by Logan Keys
“Do you think the power is ever going to come back on?” Dana asked realizing the same thing at the same time.
“I’m not sure,” Michelle said truthfully. “I’m really not.”
Frank made his way back to them with a bag stuffed full. He gave Michelle careful instructions on everything, the nebulizer, the medicine, and how long to use them. He told her, “If Reese doesn’t start sounding better in a few days, she really does need to be seen, do you understand?”
Frank said the last out of habit, Michelle could tell, because he gave her a confused look afterward. A sort of lost expression. Tears welled up in her eyes out of gratitude as she looked through the bag. She imagined showing up at Bob’s house with everything they needed.
She reached out and squeezed Frank’s arm. “Thank you so much,” Michelle said.
He took a deep breath and nodded. “Good luck.”
“You too.”
Dana also searched the contents of the bag to see that her additions to the list were there times two. She thanked Frank profusely and pulled him into a hug until he seemed embarrassed. Finally, they headed back outside.
Michelle hated that her joy was so fleeting. But they had to face the cold reality once again. “Let’s just walk fast and hopefully we won’t see our friend Jefferey again.”
But there was no such luck. They only got two blocks down and he was there still, in the exact same spot as before, waiting. Freezing, obviously, but tenacious.
Michelle told Dana, “Cross the street.” But as they stepped off the sidewalk, Jefferey mirrored their movements and came around in front of them.
This time the joking and fake smile were gone. His face was almost in the shadows of his extremely furrowed brow. Jefferey kept his chin tucked in from the cold and secrecy.
“Look,” he said, sounding exasperated, as if they’d been difficult for no reason. “Come on now. We just need a place to stay, Herc and I. You guys are close, or you wouldn’t be walking.” He searched up and down the street. “Let us come with you. It’s freezing out here.”
“No,” Dana said, knowing as Michelle did, that bringing these criminals back was like asking a rabid dog into your living room and then being surprised when it bit your family.
Herc stepped out of the shadows to their right, and Michelle jumped as he closed in on her elbow so fast that she barely registered what was happening.
“No need to be nasty,” he said, latching onto her arm.
Michelle quickly backed away, arm still linked with Dana. She tripped hard and fell over a small pile of snow, falling onto her back, striking her head on a chunk of ice.
The world spun above her then, a flurry of ashen sky. Dana’s face hovered with concern, but for a moment, Michelle couldn’t hear what she said. Dana pulled her into sitting position, and Michelle’s head cleared somewhat. But when she saw that the bag of medicine had ripped open, and their items were spilled across the street, she felt hot rage stiffen her spine.
She shook with it. Watching her hands shiver, but not from the cold. Dana was cursing at Jefferey as Michelle climbed slowly to her feet. Michelle touched her head, and her fingers came away with warm droplets of blood.
Herc reached down and started grabbing their stuff. “Let’s help them out,” he said, with a sly glance at Jefferey who also started to snatch the nebulizer and Tylenol.
Michelle was so angry that she felt like she was outside of her body. “No!” she bellowed, marching toward Jefferey, coming on like the bull her father had always said that she was. She kept on going, hands in front of her, hitting him in the side. Jefferey had been leaning over, and his balance was off, so the shove sent him face first into the frozen asphalt.
Michelle knew Herc was going to be on her like white on rice, and she was ready for it. Smoothly, she felt her body settle into a better stance, one she’d been corrected on hundreds of times in the safety of a dojo. Sure, it had only been defensive training, and not any fancy martial arts, but her employer had paid top dollar for the best in the business to teach everyone in the office. The man who’d run the lessons was an ex-CIA agent who’d taken the job quite seriously. And so, when Herc was within striking distance, she did indeed strike.
“Ha!” Michelle cried, pushing the air like she pushed her hand, into his chest. Herc made an oomph sound but still got closer, and she was ready for that too. Her knee was already coming up, and she could see the realization in his eyes that being close was not a very good idea when a woman is most always trained in self-defense from a position of closeness to her attacker. Her knee came up like lightning. It found the soft spot between his legs and kept on going.
Herc made the most ungodly howl of pain and collapsed onto the concrete.
But Jefferey was up, and he was readier for her physically, careful to engage. And so, Michelle turned on him, ready as well, reaching into her coat to produce the gun like a magic trick.
“If you take one more step, I’ll shoot you!”
Chapter Seven
Chicago
Brittany was sitting in the car, just behind the two blondes forced to drive her and Rick into the city. The darkness outside the car enveloped them, and so as they arrived in Chicago, and subtle light lit up the inside of the car from a distant glow, Brittany watched with gut wrenching sadness. What slowly formed was the outline of a ruined metropolis.
There was, at first, just the small blooming orange of a forest fire in the distance—or so it had seemed—but as they got closer, the inferno revealed itself as if hell had opened its mouth to this earth. And it wanted the windy city first. The destruction was worse than anything Brittany could have imagined. The skyline was altered and thin with very few buildings still standing. Occasionally, a flare would spark, a new explosion bursting forth into the darkness as if Chicago were a cauldron of lava bubbling over. She momentarily forgot about the madman who had hijacked her along with who she now knew were Bethany and Janet.
She’d learned the two women’s names in the short drive that felt like it was lasting forever. Rick had kept asking them questions, telling them not to be afraid, while also barking orders at Janet so that she’d almost wrecked several times. Then he’d go on a tirade and look at Brittany and mutter, “Women drivers.” He seemed to think that since they knew one another more than these others, they were in a sort of cahoots together. Friends. Despite the gun he held sometimes poised on Janet and Bethany, but mostly it faced Brittany in warning.
Rick was observant, she’d give him that. Several times she’d thought about throwing herself from the car to race back down the highway towards the children. More than a few moments of insanity caused her to panic and long to grip the door handle and pray for the best. Even knowing she would no doubt smack onto the asphalt face-first at high speed. The only thing that stopped her was the thought of dying trying to escape. Then what would happen to Benton and Lily? She trusted Bart and Colton to try to get them home, but they’d be so difficult and upset without her. Besides, it was her job. The only other thing that stopped her was that gun. The shiny metal flashing in the passing headlights occasionally to remind her of her end, should she “try anything stupid” as Rick so delicately put it.
He didn’t think much of women overall, that much was clear. He’d said a few times how his ex was crazy and therefore women couldn’t be trusted, least of all ones like Brittany. She didn’t understand what category he meant to place her in, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “Stuck up broads like you don’t understand. How can you?” was the only cryptic thing he’d said to show that somehow, some way, she was not his favorite type of “broad.” She felt she’d probably find out before this kidnapping was through, just what Rick thought about women ‘like her’.
“Would you look at that? Huh.” Rick smacked his lips and sucked on his teeth. He let out a low whistle. “Civilization is over. You ladies are in for a rude awakening because it isn’t nice fellas like your Colton,” he motioned at Brittany with the gun, “
who run things when hell breaks loose. You get me? Nice guys finish last as it is, but now…he’s going to be the first one to get popped. Mark my words.”
Brittany shuddered at his proclamation. Had Rick some sort of insight to the new world, she wondered, then felt silly for thinking such a thing. Rick was a moron. His mouth ran loose and fast and without thinking. He couldn’t hold a candle to Colton or guys like him. That must drive the ex-con crazy. Because the only way Rick’s greasy type had a car full of women was at gunpoint.
Janet and Bethany sobbed as they drove closer to their home city. They shared terrified looks as ash rained from the sky. It was as if a volcano had gone off instead of an earthquake. “This road’s blocked off,” Janet said between hiccups.
“Then go down another one!” Rick snapped.
But that one was blocked off too. And another. And soon, they found there was nowhere to go.
At the sight of buildings burning, some fallen, and other’s merely gone, Rick sang, “London Bridge is falling down” which made Janet and Bethany sob harder. “Park it over there,” Rick said, but he seemed hesitant to exit the SUV. People staggered around, disoriented, drifting by their parking spot. Some held rags to wounds while others bled freely, dazed, unseeing. Now up close, most of the city was laid open, like a bomb had blown it to smithereens clotting the air with smoke and the heat was intense. “The earthquake did this?” Janet asked in surprise as she and Bethany gripped hands. “Do you think our boy is okay?”
Brittany leaned forward and touched their shoulder’s. “Your boy?”
The women turned toward her. “It’s not a boy… a person, I mean. You’ll think it’s silly. We’re roommates. We have a new puppy at the apartment…”
Brittany didn’t think that was silly, but then again, she kind of did. Of course they loved their pet. But the amount of people dead was staggering, and she felt priority was for the injured people in the area. Then again, if it were Rex in that apartment, she’d be trying to get to him too. And she just now realized how much fondness she already had for the dog.
When Janet and Bethany shared a teary-eyed glance, Brittany whispered, “I’ll do what I can.”
Rick snapped at Janet, “All right. Enough. Give me the keys,” he said, holding his gun up. “Everyone out.”
They exited the SUV into a cacophony of screams and explosions that had been somewhat muted when they’d been inside. Injured calling for help could be heard at random. Car horns and alarms were going off occasionally, and more bursts of glass and explosions played like music in the background with its own strange rhythm. One lone fire engine must have been nearby because its sirens sang a long song that echoed in reminder of how organized responders against the new world were futile. Hopelessness was palpable as Brittany felt the heat instantly warm her through her winter clothing. In Chicago, where people froze to death in even mild winter months, you’d now likely be the safest from the growing cold tonight. Everywhere she turned, black night was lit with orange. If they weren’t careful, they’d be surrounded by the fires as they entered the city. Trapped like many would be by the end of it all.
Rick stood next to Brittany, holding her arm, gun at her back. “Don’t try anything stupid,” he said as if he were given a hostage taking script in a movie.
“Now what?” she asked. “Why are we here?”
“I’ve got friends here.”
That only made her shiver with dread, but she walked forward when prodded. They made it down a couple of blocks before Rick stopped them next to a store. “I need to get some things.” He seemed to think about leaving Janet and Bethany outside, but changed his mind. “Let’s go.”
Rick didn’t seem to worry about anyone seeing the gun. He knew that lawlessness already reigned. Chaos was in control. If anyone saw the metal pressed into Brittany’s back, they weren’t saying anything. Besides, the store was already being looted.
They stepped over broken glass as people were inside rummaging through the items that had fallen over, either from the quake or from others who’d rushed in and out of the thin aisles with panic. A few were grabbing food and drinks while others were laughing and stuffing cigarette packs and small bottles of alcohol into their sweaters and jacket pockets.
Brittany felt less afraid of the thieves than Rick. They would glance in his direction, but then quickly away. It was as if they too sensed a deeper darkness that emanated from the man. Brittany tried to see what they saw but couldn’t. He was out of his uniform and in clothes he’d borrowed from Bart and Colton. Or maybe he’d stolen them while they’d slept. Average in build, his face was deeply set with eyes too close together above a thin mouth and weak chin. He didn’t seem bright in one sense but in another he was sly as a fox. His dark eyes panned the store and landed on what he needed, but before they could move, an Asian man rushed inside wielding a shotgun.
He shouted in his native language and pumped the weapon in warning. People panicked, and they stampeded towards the door, their loot spilling out along the way. Bottles crashed, and more glass and liquid scattered. Most of them didn’t want confrontation, but not Rick. Rick stood his ground, watching the man, slowly moving his own gun away from Brittany and onto the store’s owner.
The man’s eyes widened momentarily, but then he raised the shotgun, aiming it at Rick. For a few seconds, it was a standoff, but while the sense of goodness in the store’s owner held him back, Rick had no such limits.
Without hesitation, Rick pulled the trigger.
Brittany didn’t see much afterwards because she, Bethany, and Janet had thrown themselves to the ground. They covered their heads to avoid being hit should the shotgun go off, which it did. The aim was wild, and it missed Rick and slammed into the cooler behind where Brittany had been standing.
Rick reached down and grabbed her by the arm. “Get up. All of you.”
Janet and Bethany sobbed, but stood. He then had everyone grab drinks and food and put it into a bag. Janet and Bethany worked fast, as did Brittany. None of them called for help or even tried to look for it. The store was now empty, and they got bag after bag of things Rick listed off.
Once they had them all, they started for the door. Brittany tried not to look, but found she was too weak to avoid glancing down at the poor store owner’s body. He laid there at the door, his eyes wide, his mouth bloody, and he was breathing.
“He’s still alive!” Brittany shouted dropping her bags, leaning down. But Rick latched onto her arms. Grabbing her bags, and dragging her outside, he pointed the pistol in her face. “Try me again, little girl.”
His eyes were wild. It was as if killing the store owner had opened an old pathway in his brain and now he wanted another reason to do it again. Brittany nodded, not stupid enough to push a madman. A killer. She reached down and took her bags. “Okay. Okay,” she said softly. She’d been afraid before but now, Brittany realized death might not be the worst thing she faced in Rick’s clutches.
They stumbled the two blocks back to the SUV and put their things inside. Rick pointed out the only street not currently caught up in flames and told them all to walk again. Together, they weaved through the devastation. People were lying on the ground, some looked dead, others bloody and groaning in pain. This time, Brittany wasn’t there to help, and she felt terrible merely passing by the carnage. Even with this vision of disaster in front of her, all Brittany could think about were the children.
Janet and Bethany were horrified by what they saw, and they stifled sobs as they were forced to parade down the street in front of Rick. Through the smoke, Brittany could see gang members clustered at the end of the block. As they neared them, she noticed they were split between two halves. They stood across the street from each other as if they were rival groups. Rick stepped ahead. He walked right up to one of the sides, seeming to be looking for someone. Chicago was a big city, but if he could find someone in the same gang as his friend, they might know where he’d be.
While Rick was busy, Brittany sidled
over to the two girls. The gang members were looking at the three of them with different expressions. Some seemed disgusted, knowing Rick held them hostage by the fact that he pointed a gun at them openly, but others seemed creepily interested. One in particular, locked eyes with Brittany, before grinning a sly smile from ear to ear.
Brittany glared at him while she whispered to Janet. “Once Rick’s busy, I want you to run.”
“What about you?” Janet hissed, but the woman was shaking she was so terrified.
“I’ll run if I can, but if he has me, he might not chase you. I’ll tell you when to go. Be ready.” Bethany nodded, not at all interested in being a hero.
Rick returned. He didn’t look happy, and said, “Let’s go.” But Brittany already saw they were being followed, and this wasn’t going to end well for any of them.
She walked faster, hoping to create distance between herself and Rick. Like she wanted, he hurried to catch up, grabbing and yanking on her arm painfully. “Slow down.”
Brittany shot a glance at Janet who froze like a deer in the headlights, but Rick was still ahead with Brittany and distracted. Bethany was the one who finally took the moment to grab her friend and take off down an alleyway.
They were gone like a shot, and Brittany faced forward trying to give them as much time as possible. But they only got a short ways before Rick noticed. “Hey!” he shouted, leaving Brittany to rush for the alleyway.
Brittany was about to run—she was already half-way sprinting away—when she saw that he was lifting his gun to shoot aimlessly into the alley. Seeing what he meant to do, she acted without thinking. Brittany latched onto his arm, using her full weight to pull it downward. Rick squeezed off a shot, but it hit the dumpster nearby with a loud clang.
“Are you crazy?” he shouted, shoving Brittany down onto the ground.
He aimed the gun at her head. “Get on your knees,” he spat.
Brittany did what he said. She knew that this was it. He was going to do it. With her eyes squeezed shut, she said a small prayer for the kids.
