The Lottery Winner

by Pete Thorsen

  I also found one big bottle of lamp oil which I added to the cart. I looked around in the garden area and found the seed rack. Again I should have done this a long time ago. There were only flower seeds left. Not all that surprising to me at all.

  I did put a big bag of garden soil on the rack under the cart. I still had a plan for a garden. Then it was over to the grocery section. Inventory was down. But they still had plenty of food though I could see the prices were higher even than the last trip. The selection was poor, and they seemed to have more of the regular foods and not much for the expensive or exotic stuff. Again that was not very surprising, and I didn't buy that stuff anyway.

  Again I filled the cart to almost overflowing. In fact, I left the cart in the isle and went and got another cart. The second one I did not fill quite as full. When I got to the fresh food, I actually bought some. I seldom buy any fresh stuff except for potatoes. And that was my target today. I bought three ten pound bags of potatoes. I would be planting some of these.

  I paid for my supplies and looked around carefully as I left the store. Seeing no threats, I pushed and pulled the two carts to my truck. Again I looked all around and was satisfied that I was safe at least for the moment. I put most of the stuff in back this time. I would have to put some in the back anyway because I had so much.

  While working, I did stop and look all around a couple of times. I finished loading and drove away with no problems. I did fill the gas tank again. Gas was only slightly higher. I think it had reached its limit now.

  The drive home proved uneventful. I stopped once and waited for ten minutes, and no one showed up, so no one was following me this time. I got home and unloaded. I had asked, but no one knew anything about anything as far as real news. We were all in the dark.

  The next day I got my bank statement in the mail. There was no deposit from unemployment last month. I was sure this was very likely the same for everyone. With countless people on that extended unemployment as their only income and with no jobs of any kind available, there would be no way for people to get money. Things would get uglier now.

  Chapter 12

  I suppose there was still welfare available for people. And maybe church groups could offer some help to the needy. But with things bad for so long already I wondered just what help might still be out there and still be available to everyone. And it would be for just about everyone at this point.

  Years back there were about fifty million people on food stamps and now if they were still available that number would likely be well over two hundred million. But I just remembered that food stamps were not stamps at all but were now something like a credit card. And the stores had not taken credit cards for a few months now.

  I just now remembered that. When those food cards quit working there must have been huge riots in just about every city in the country. I can not even imagine just how bad it must be in the bigger cities.

  At lunch, I turned the radio on to catch the weather report. It had been fairly warm, and I wondered if it was warm enough to plant my potatoes in my yet to be started garden. The garden would only consist of potatoes this year apparently because I was too slow about buying seeds.

  Anyway, I had the radio on while making lunch and they started blaring about a special report. The news had lost all credibility with me so I wondered if their so-called special report would be, maybe just that summer is coming soon.

  I admit the announcer did sound shaken up. Maybe it was something real, or they had hired an out-of-work actor for this report.

  "We are just getting reports of what appears to be a nuclear bomb exploding in or near Seattle Washington. This has just happened, and we are getting differing reports. There has almost certainly been a huge explosion in or very near Seattle. Whether it is nuclear or not has not been reliably confirmed as of yet. Reports state a mushroom cloud extended over the explosion area but I have been told that any large explosion can produce a mushroom-like cloud.

  “We are getting a steady stream of reports but are trying to sort these out before reporting on them. Please stand by."

  Well, that is real news for a change. Real bad news too. Must have been way too big to ignore, so they had to report it. Or they were told to report it. Who knows. If I knew someone in that area, I would like to call them to see if it is even true.

  I ate my lunch with the radio on. With long distance phone lines not working I wondered just how the radio station was receiving this news. Maybe they had long distance service, or they had a ham radio or something. The news was babbling on but had nothing new to report. As I was cleaning up after I was done eating the main reporter came back on again.

  "More reports state that this explosion was indeed nuclear. All flights in the air near Sea-Tac airport at the time of the explosion have reportedly crashed. Reports say they just fell from the sky and crashed. Please keep in mind most of these reports have not been confirmed. The authorities have only confirmed a large explosion so far with no other official details. We will continue to report additional information as we receive it."

  If this turns out to be a nuke explosion, it would be a very big deal. I had just been to town yesterday and bought more than usual. But if this were a nuke then it would almost certainly mean we would be going to war. With no more thought, I shut the radio off and slipped a pistol in my front pocket. I took a hand full of cash and my rifle and walked out the door locking it behind me.

  I tossed my gas can in the back of the truck and stuck my rifle behind the seat. Then I drove slightly faster than normal back to town. I went directly to the Walmart and parked. There were seventeen cars in the lot that I counted on the way to the front door.

  I grabbed a cart and went to the grocery section and walked very quickly. I filled the cart rapidly because I knew what was available and where it was because I was just here yesterday. The cart was very heavy and full when I got to the checkout. For the first time in months, I had to wait in line.

  I paid and left. I saw others entering as I was leaving. I loaded what I had purchased in the truck cab and drove to the gas station. I did not have to wait in line, but two other people were getting gas at this time also which was sure unusual. I first bought another five-gallon gas can then left money for the clerk to turn on the pump. I filled the little my truck tank needed and the ten gallons in the two cans.

  After I had got my change, I drove directly home. I did stop once and waited with my rifle just in case someone had followed me. No one showed up, and I continued home. I had the radio in the truck on the whole time. They talked the whole time, but I heard no new solid information unless I missed it while I was out of the truck.

  I closed the gate again at the end of my driveway. It was flimsy and not locked, but it was the thought that counts I guess. I unloaded with the radio on the whole time in the house so I would catch some info the times I was inside as I made the few trips from the garage to the house carrying in the supplies.

  When I was done, I just sat down at the kitchen table with a cup of instant coffee I made in the microwave. By the time I finished the cup of coffee the radio had more news.

  "The authorities have now confirmed that the explosion at Seattle was a nuclear explosion. They have definitely stated that this was ground based and not caused by any kind of a missile. Again it was not caused by any missile, but it was a nuclear explosion. People in the Seattle area and west of Seattle are being told to evacuate the area.

  “They have stated there is a danger of radiation from fallout, and this radiation will drift westerly due to the prevailing winds in the area. They suggest everyone drive south or southwest away from this area.

  “Interstate 90 and Interstate 5 are the main routes for this evacuation. If you are familiar with the smaller roads in the area, then those can obviously also be used. All lanes of those two interstate highways will be used for the evacuation. No one is being allowed to enter the Seattle area. There will be no westbound traffic allowed on Interstate 90 from Snoqual
mie Pass West. Again there will be no westbound traffic allowed on Interstate 90 from Snoqualmie Pass West; all lanes will be eastbound only from the pass west to Seattle.

  “All lanes of traffic on Interstate 5 from Seattle to Lakewood will be southbound only. Again all lanes of Interstate 5 south of Seattle to Lakewood will be southbound only.

  “Interstate 5 north of Seattle will have all lanes northbound only from Seattle to Maryville. No traffic will be allowed going into the Seattle area. Only evacuating vehicles will be allowed within twenty miles or more from Seattle. Again no vehicles will be allowed to travel into the Seattle area with no exceptions. If you have loved ones in the Seattle area be assured that all residents will be bussed out to the nearest safe shelter areas.

  “School buses, tour buses, and all manner of larger capacity vehicles including semi trucks with trailers are being commandeered to assist in this massive evacuation. The Seattle area is home to over four million people. Emergency shelters are being set up in the following cities........"

  I mentally tuned out the droning of the radio. I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that the United States had been hit by a nuclear attack on our soil, something I never thought would ever take place. No report so far as to how big of a nuke it was but the size meant little compared to the psychological effect of the attack.

  I needed to think about this and wonder if I would be recalled back into the military to fight a brand new war. Maybe it was a good thing phone lines were down after all.

  Chapter 13

  I puttered around inside the house all afternoon, something I never do unless the weather is awful outside, so it forces me inside. Today was sunny and warm. I kept the radio on, and it was late in the afternoon when the next big announcement came on, and it was indeed a surprisingly big one.

  "This just in, there was a very large explosion in New York City. It seems to be based near the Upper Bay port area. More details soon."

  Another explosion on the opposite coast just hours after the nuke in Seattle? Pretty unlikely it was any coincidence. It had to be coordinated, and my guess was that they were planned for the same time. One was either early, or one was late. But I'll not waste time with idle speculation when facts should be coming soon.

  I listened to the radio, and when it came around to supper time, I was way too wound up to eat. And new information was coming in.

  "The New York City explosion was not a nuclear bomb. I repeat was not a nuclear bomb. It was a very large conventional explosion that was likely a boat or ship that was sailed into the Upper Bay area. Reports are now coming in that there is radiation in that general area. A so-called "dirty bomb" is now suspected.

  “A "dirty bomb" is a conventional bomb or conventional explosives that are surrounded by radioactive material. The explosion is used to spread this radioactive material over a wide area. No advanced technology is needed to construct a bomb like this. All that is needed is an amount of explosive material and any amount of radioactive material.

  “The local authorities are now ordering an evacuation of parts of New York City due to possible lethal exposure to radiation. Everyone in the following areas are being told to evacuate the area. All of Brooklyn, all of lower Manhattan including Midtown, all of Jersey City north as far as highway 495, and Staten Island north of Highway 278. Everyone in the listed areas are being ordered to evacuate. Authorities are telling others in areas surrounding those listed to be prepared to evacuate."

  Now ports on both coasts have been contaminated with possible lethal amounts of radiation. And it is obvious that the New York Stock Exchange was a likely target in that last explosion. Along with it being one of the most densely populated and very important areas of the United States.

  Somebody had declared war on the United States and whoever they were had access to at least one nuclear bomb and at least some nuclear or radioactive material. At first glance, it seemed unlikely that this was an act of Russia or China. They each had plenty of nukes and very good delivery systems also. Unless their plan was to pin the blame on someone else.

  I have always heard that nuclear material or bombs could be rather easily traced back to the country of origin. I don't know if that was true or not, but I know it is a popular saying. If it is true, our government should soon be able to test and determine who was responsible for these two attacks.

  Then it would have to be to determined what our response would be to these attacks. A nuclear bomb used on another nation is a very big deal. Very big. And it would seem to require a very big or even overwhelming response by our country. Of course, this response could also have the potential to lead to a full out world war using nuclear weapons.

  I ended up going to bed with no supper. The loss of a meal was of no real consequence because I had gone without meals countless times in my life. I did have a hearty breakfast though the next morning. I only listened to the radio off and on for the next few days. There was new information coming in constantly about the death counts and how the evacuations were proceeding and where the radiation was and where it was going along with how deadly it was.

  But no response from our leaders in Washington DC as of yet. Then five days after the attack there was to be a special announcement at six pm east coast time. Like most of the US population, I tuned in for that announcement from our President. At precisely six Eastern Time he started talking.

  "Fellow Americans I have come to you tonight to announce who the cowardly people were that viciously and without provocation attacked innocent American civilians less than one week ago. These two cowardly attacks killed almost all civilians and in no way were they aimed at the US military.

  “I am here now to tell you that our military, the most powerful in the world, have responded to these two attacks in kind. Today we launched two Trident D5 nuclear missiles from two of our submarines. Each missile was directed, reached and detonated on one of the countries that had attacked us five days ago. Each single missile contained multiple independently targeted warheads.

  “One missile struck North Korea. This single missile equipped with multiple nuclear warheads hit several targets successfully in that country. These targets were chosen carefully and included mostly military installations but did include one city. One city containing civilians just as they did to us. As of now their capital city of Pyongyang is in total ruins.

  “The other similar missile we launched has struck the country of Iran. Again this one missile contained multiple independently targeted warheads. And again these nuclear warheads successfully struck mostly military installations. One city was also targeted. Iran's capital city of Tehran is now also in ruins.

  “I alone made the decision to launch these two missiles. Everyone else involved was just following my direct orders. I alone bear the sole responsibility for ordering the killing of millions of mostly innocent people. For this act, I will have to live with myself until I the day I die and then I will face my punishment for this act for all of eternity.

  “Two other nuclear powers were informed of this action before it happened. They have promised no retaliation against the United States for this action. The world does not face all out nuclear war at this time.

  “These two countries we struck colluded together to try and bring about the destruction of the United States. Instead, it just brought us as a nation together to make us even stronger and at the same time brought about the destruction of the two attacking countries.

  “The cowardly actions of these two countries directly or indirectly caused the deaths of millions of people, mostly their own people. I sincerely hope with all my heart that no one will ever use a nuclear weapon on earth ever again.

  “Thank you and may God bless you."

  Chapter 14

  I admit I was very surprised at the speed and efficiency on how our federal government handled those who attacked us. I did wonder if they had the same efficiency in handling the situation on each coast. Way more than a million people displaced in each location
. Many with just the clothes on their backs.

  And what will they do with those contaminated areas? Wall them off? Patrol them to keep out stupid looters who would go into areas way too hot and die there? Or be able to leave the area only to wind up on life support while they took awhile to die in a hospital.

  Will the areas be too hot to go to for a month or a year or a hundred years? Like almost everyone else I don't know much about radiation. Is some clean up possible and economical? And what about the rest of the country? The economic depression we are in did not go away. Is it getting better? Is there a plan to make it get better? Is violence running rampant in every city and town in America? So many questions. And so far no answers coming from anywhere.

  But no matter what the answers were I had work to do. All the ash from the wood stove was spread over what would be my garden. I had to turn over all the soil and mix in that ash. One reason that I was anxious to get it done was that rain was predicted again and I wanted it done before another rain.

  It was a job but not that bad, and I finished it in a day even after turning the soil a couple of times. It rained about a half inch the next day, and after one sunny day, I again turned all the soil in the garden just using a shovel and a garden rake. I felt it was warm enough, so I planted some of my potatoes. Most of them I cut in half and the big ones I cut into three pieces before I planted them.

  I also mixed in some of the bag of garden soil I bought. That soil was only put directly in with the seed potatoes, though. If this worked, I would have plenty of potatoes to eat. I like to hedge my bets, so I planted half of the potatoes first. Then I waited a week and planted the other half of the potatoes in the garden spot. I still had plenty of potatoes left to eat also.

  Because I had bought so much food just before and after the attack on our coasts, I had no real reason to go into town, so I didn't. I just stayed home and pulled weeds when they showed up in the garden or I exercised or went for long walks to fill the time.