by A. R. Shaw
The door to the apartment wasn’t locked or even fully closed and Graham had a bad feeling about what lay inside.
He pushed the door open a little and peeked around, holding his rifle up as he entered. The smell hit him right away, pushing him back out the door. He looked down at the truck below and then pulled his jacket back up over his nose and mouth. He entered again and pushed the door against something lightly blocking it. He looked around the door itself and found a large unopened bag of sugar, just lying there wedged against the wall as if someone dropped it on their way out. The place was a mess and the smell was even worse.
Someone was dead in there somewhere. Though Graham couldn’t see the body just then, he had no doubt the man was gone.
The lights to the kitchen on his right were blinding. Graham kept his rifle out and peered around the counter, scattered with cans of corn, a box of gelatin and pancake mix, opened and spilled of its contents.
Nobody’s in here, he thought. Then he looked over at the couch into the little living area covered in tossed clothing of unidentifiable origin. On the wall above the sofa, he recognized a few photos of the girls smiling at him. There was one with all three framed in gold on what looked like a family fishing trip—each proudly held up a fish. He made his way over to the bedroom and pushed the slightly ajar door. He opened it farther with the end of his rifle.
What he saw wasn’t a victim of the pandemic but a bloody massacre. Two decomposing bodies sprawled on the bed. The odor even latched onto his eyeballs. He heaved at the scene. He pulled the coat closer to barricade his senses further if it could. There was a man or what looked like one, with a gunshot wound to the face and spray marks covering the wall behind him. The naked woman lay across his middle, facing down and appeared to have taken a shot to the back of the head.
Graham looked around quickly for any rifle within the closet and around the room, but it was clear the place had been ransacked and it would have been among the first things taken for sure.
Graham quickly made an about face and ran towards the living room. He picked up the two pictures he’d seen on the wall and headed for the door. He closed it behind him as best he could. He looked down at the truck below and knew what he had to do now.
Checking below the stairs for any predators, Graham walked around to the driver’s side and entered the truck. He was glad to have fresh air to breathe into his lungs, even if it was cold and damp. “Here, I thought you might want these,” he said, and handed the pictures over to the girls who had wide eyes questioning him.
“He’s not alive, I’m sorry,” he said to them.
Marcy said, “I want to see,” and looked beyond Graham and stared out the front window.
“Let me tell you something, Marcy. You don’t want to see that. I’m telling you,” he said, shaking his head.
Macy cried now and tears ran down Marcy’s face too. “I don’t know if I can believe you if I don’t see him,” Marcy said.
Taking a deep breath and fully understanding her statement, Graham said, “I know, but, Marcy, I don’t think he died of the virus. I think he was killed for supplies.” Then he added, “There’s food all over, like someone tried to cart it all off at once. I think he was shot in his sleep. He didn’t suffer. I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to see this,” and then Marcy let the tears roll, sobbing and holding her sister. Now they knew for sure, but the truth held no hope and they were alone in the world together.
Graham let them be and turned his attention to the road to make distance between this place and the place he would take them.
He headed back out to the main road and scoffed at his own habit of putting on the loud turn signal, flipped it off and heading left. They all looked at the parking lot in front of the market with the blue trash bin still smoking in front of it once more, as they headed out and they saw a black crow nibbling at bits on the pavement. No one said a word as they headed to the other end of town where the final makeshift gate remained, blocking their freedom.
Graham put the truck in park and looked around before heading out to move the barrier. He didn’t feel the need to replace it now and when he got back into the cab, they drove on without looking back.
What should have taken them five hours to drive had culminated into a full day, a rescue, a murder and a discovery that would remain with Graham forever. He looked back in his rearview mirror at the girls and farther to the dog looking out the window and then over to the boy looking up at him, and realized how much his life had changed in forty-eight hours with the death of his original family and the accumulation of this new one in short order.
His Nelly would have loved each of them and he was sorry she wasn’t here now, especially knowing she would instinctively know how to comfort the girls grieving in the backseat.
“Bang, why don’t you open the tote and get the map out for us,” Graham said to the boy. He did and Graham saw how the boy smiled up at him whenever he asked for his help.
24 On the Road
The road through the forest was a winding one. Driving over hills and through valleys where brown cows grazed in open fields, seemed like any drive through the countryside in the fall until you saw them eating the tender green blades alongside the lane and lounging on the warm blacktopped road.
Even though, it had been a day since he and Bang left his home, it felt like a week or more and Graham could feel the soreness in his shoulder muscles from the exertion this morning. Pushing the image from his mind, he looked in the rearview mirror at the girls, each gazing out her own windows but holding hands in the center seat. He knew he’d have to stop in an hour or so to change Marcy’s bandage and find something in the back to eat for lunch.
When they got to the cabin, they would have to make an inventory of their food and then look in town for more. He remembered there was a little store, though he was sure it was mostly open during the summer months. He hoped they still had some supplies in there.
It had only been an hour since they left and everyone was each involved in their own thoughts. Too quiet, he thought. He reached over and turned on the radio, which emitted static at first. There were no search buttons on this thing. He turned the tuning knob slowly and tried to find some sign of life.
Macy said out of boredom or curiosity, “What are you doing?”
“I’m checking to see if there are any news broadcasts or anything out there. Did you girls listen to the news after all this happened?” he asked.
“Yeah, but we were waiting for Dad…” she said and looked over at Marcy.
“We thought we should stay where we were so he could find us. Then, when he did not call back, we thought we should go find him,” Marcy said.
“The first broadcast said to go to the high school where we lived, but then the next day, it said not to. So we did not really know what to do,” Macy said.
“Yeah, I think everything happened so fast that there was a lot of confusion and then it ended,” he said, and raised his eyebrows like he had no other answers and then paused with a catch in his throat.
“Anyway, here we are now,” he said, and they were silent once again, except for the sound of the static Graham made with the knob and the engine noise propelling them farther down the wet highway.
Marcy began to nod off and Graham saw Macy made her sister more comfortable so that she could fall asleep. He felt again he’d done the right thing. Those twins needed each other and he had saved them. Finally, he found a beeping sound that was not static and tried to fine tune the station further as a woman’s dour voice began repeating an announcement he’d heard parts of before.
“This is a public service message.”
“This pandemic was a weaponized attack starting in China. Due to faulty security measures, it quickly grew out of their control and spread globally. There is no one left to blame now. Fewer than two percent worldwide show immunity to this virus. Some will try to hide from its effects, but those who are survivors most certainly are carriers of the virus.”<
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Then came the part he had not heard earlier, but had suspected would turn out to be true.
“This means,” the sober voice continued, “if you are a Prepper and successfully hid from the virus, you are still in jeopardy and should remain separated from any immune survivors or you will succumb to the pandemic after all.
“Additionally, The Charters of Freedom, including the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights have been automatically secured in a high security vault, located beneath the Archives building on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. They should remain so until all borders are secure and the population has succeeded in creating a republic once again. Until that time, it would be best to leave them where they remain.
“This is a difficult world you live in now. Food and shelter should not be a survival issue in the short term, but you should educate yourselves and the younger generations on growing crops, hunting, fishing and basic medical care.
“Due to the lack of public services, your biggest enemy now is Mother Nature, including her inhabitants, weather, fires and even mankind. Gather and take care of the young, because they will need your guidance. Above all, live peacefully.
“This concludes this public service message.”
Graham just looked forward through the rain-streaked windshield, down the long winding road as they made their way through Falls City. The message repeated with the familiar beeping and began again. He reached over and turned it off. He did not need to hear it again. He was still trying to comprehend the first one. He looked over at Bang, who was now fast asleep with his head lolling to the side arm rest.
Then he looked into the rearview mirror and saw Marcy asleep on Macy’s lap. Macy looked directly at him with a worried expression in her vivid blue eyes. Sheriff must have been asleep too, because Graham had not seen even the tops of his ears over the seat for some time now.
Macy still stared at him. “Do you have any questions, Macy?” he asked, not knowing what she was thinking while she was looking a bit terrified.
“Does this mean it’s all gone? Everything?” she asked, as if trying to comprehend the incomprehensible.
Graham swallowed, “Macy, it means we have to take care of each other now. There are no schools, no police and no hospitals anymore. No grocery stores or farmers, for that matter. It means we have to do all of those things for ourselves now. At some point, the fires or weather will hit the power stations and there won’t be power any longer or gas for vehicles. No iPhones, computers, or video games. It means we have to think differently and make new rules that make sense to us now, in these times.
“The first thing we’re going to do is get out of the city because of the animals coming in after the smells and because man can no longer keep them at bay with everyday noises. Not to mention the fires coming in and consuming all the buildings and houses without anyone to put them out. That’s why I decided to head out to the cabin because I know the area and I’ve hunted and fished there every year since I was a kid. It’s where my great-great-grandfather who was a logger lived way back when. There’s an old apple orchard a few miles away too, so I know we can grow things there. It’s been done before,” he said.
He looked back at her again and she looked a little more hopeful and a little less terrified. He thought, I’d better keep pushing these guys to think ahead and not look behind them or we won’t get through this.
“We’re going to try to stop up here in Carnation and get some gas,” he said.
“I’ll change Marcy’s bandage and give her some more medicine. We can get something to eat and hopefully find a bathroom. Sound good?” he asked Macy.
“Yeah, especially the bathroom part,” she said, smiling.
“Graham?” she said.
“Yeah?” Her tone led him to believe she wanted to ask more questions.
“Thank you for saving Marcy,” she said and added, “You could have left us there. I wanted to thank you for helping us.”
He just looked her in the eyes through the reflection of the rearview mirror and nodded solemnly.
~ ~ ~
Macy hoped Graham knew how grateful she really was. So she would not cry, she looked out the window and the gray rainy day gave way to a few patches of blue sky in the late afternoon set against the autumn hues of the landscape that rushed by.
She was caught in a vicious cycle. She kept feeling as if she and Marce were on a normal road trip with Mom or Dad, but then she would look up and see a stranger named Graham as he drove the truck, a forcible reminder of why she was there. Then, she would remember all that had happened that day and the weeks before, as it replayed in her mind. So, she looked back out the window to get away from it all until she felt like she was on a road trip, once again.
~ ~ ~
Graham slowed as he approached the little town of Carnation on Highway 203. There was an apparent attempt at a roadblock as he went into town, with a few vehicles that blocked the way. Graham just drove around them on the soft shoulder. There were no signs up or any other warnings, so Graham just assumed it was an early attempt to keep traffic out of their own town. He drove a little more slowly, dodging another parked semi-truck, just before the Tolt River bridge crossing.
They passed a baseball field on the left and he felt a pang of sorrow as he remembered the little league team he’d helped coach last spring at the insistence of his brother-in-law. He had not heard from that side of the family at all. He’d tried to call them when Nelly passed away, but no one ever answered. He shook it off and continued looking straight ahead.
Carnation was a typical little northwest farming community. The main street led past a pizzeria, an Ace Hardware Store on the left and a Mexican food restaurant on the right. He noticed a little nondescript gas station and pulled up to one of the pumps. Not certain if they would work, Graham got out quickly and slid his credit card through. To his surprise, his card was accepted as if all was right with the world. He filled his tank while he looked around and noticed a few dogs lingering at the Mexican restaurant down a side street, but they did not seem to be paying him any attention. He finished and hopped back into the truck and continued down the street.
Two raccoons scrambled across the road ahead of him, which caused the loitering dogs to take chase, and Graham let up on the gas to slow the truck as they ran in front of him and across the street. Once they were out of sight he continued on, not wanting to stop anywhere close to the wild residents while he looked for a decent bathroom.
Towards the end of town on the right was the Carnation Elementary School. Nothing but farm fields were farther down the street. He assumed the doors were locked but pulled into the circular parking lot and got as close as possible to the double front doors, providing for an easy getaway if they needed it. Part of him felt paranoid, while he thought of every contingency, but after the events of the day he just could not be too safe.
He put the truck in park and Bang woke up and looked around stretching. “Is this a school?” he asked as Macy woke her sister and even Sheriff popped his head up in the back seat.
“Yep, but don’t worry, we’re just here to use the restrooms. If we can, that is,” he said, then looked around for any dangers that might lurk before he grabbed his rifle and opened the door. “You guys stay right here until I call you, and keep the doors closed,” he said to them.
They all looked around through their windows for any signs of life as Graham approached the double glass doors. He was certain they’d be locked but when he reached to try the right-hand door, it opened freely. Thank God, I don’t have to shoot my way in, he thought and turned back to the kids looking at him expectantly. He held up his hand to make them stay until he checked the inside.
He walked in onto the blue rubber flooring. Hardly making a noise, he peered around the foyer, beyond what must be the office window, for the closest possible bathroom. The hall was a cheery place with lots of natural light coming in the back windows and had probably been rem
odeled recently. It smelled like crayons and disinfectant, like any elementary school really. He knew the schools were shut down early in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. Graham could not figure out why the doors were left open, though. He listened intently and looked up and down the halls but did not leave the sight of the kids beyond the doorway. He noticed boys’ and a girls’ bathrooms sign adjacent the office, along the wall next to the water fountain, and walked back out to the truck after as he surveyed the landscape for any unfriendlies.
The coast appeared to be clear as he opened Macy’s door and motioned Bang to follow. “Close it lightly and be quiet. We don’t want to attract any attention,” he said. Macy grabbed the first aid supplies for Marcy as well as the empty water bottles. Bang took his bow and arrow as always. Graham reached in, picked up Marcy, and called Sheriff out over the seat. Again, the dog did not respond and just looked up at him confused.
Macy patted her side and said, “Come, Sheriff.” He jumped quickly out of the back and onto the pavement.
Graham shook his head, confounded as to why the police dog didn’t know common commands. “Bang lead him into the building,” he said.
The dog happily trailed the boy, sniffing at the new surroundings as Macy followed along.
“The bathrooms are right over there. Let’s get in and out and be quiet about it,” he said.
They all walked in and he could tell from their expressions the kids felt as out of place as he did, sensed a wrongness. The need to be cautious in such a pleasant room, untouched by their new circumstances, went against the grain. It just did not seem right with happy primary balloons and brown squirrels shaped into laminated cutouts, stapled to the walls. Marcy huffed a little, but no one said anything about it.
Sheriff sniffed the hallway from corner to corner but stayed close by the others. Graham took Marcy into the little girls’ bathroom. He opened the swinging door and peered inside. There were two white wall-mounted sinks to the left and three stalls behind them, appearing safe to him. He put her down on her good leg and helped her over to the first stall. Macy came in right behind him. “When you’re done, let me know and I’ll come back in and change the dressing by the sink,” he said. He let the door close behind him. He and Bang went into the little boys’ bathroom and did their business, leaving Sheriff out in the hallway. After they had washed up, Graham went over to the girls’ door and knocked lightly. “Are you ready?”
