by Mark Tufo
When Darlene opened her eyes, the couple was staring at her. She realized she’d probably been sitting with her eyes closed and hands folded for a couple of minutes. She felt her face get red and put her head down, picking up her fork and eating.
“This is delicious,” she said around bites. She wasn’t just trying to make conversation; it was real cooking.
Pheebz held the plate of bacon near Darlene. “You’d better grab another couple of pieces before my husband finishes it. He could eat bacon three meals a day.”
“I can’t say I blame him,” Darlene said. She was glad for the few minutes of normalcy in her life. She’d been on the run, stopping for quick meals, eating alone in diners and fast food restaurants ever since the funeral.
It was good to make small talk with people, even if they were still strangers. She hoped she didn’t need to get to know them well. Nothing against the couple. They were lovely. But staying longer meant the situation outside had deteriorated beyond her being able to leave.
Maybe this was her wakeup call from above to get her shit together and go home to face her new life. The one without her dad and all the good and bad that came with it. Dad brought meaning to her life; she had to look after him, no matter what kind of mood he was sometimes in. She needed her dad there to fight with about taking his meds or not eating so much red meat or sneaking a cigarette from the pack he had hidden in the garage.
Darlene finished eating and filled her cup with more coffee but stayed in the kitchen with Pheebz while Herbert went to get dressed.
“Can I ask you a question, dear?” Pheebz washed the dishes while Darlene helped to clear the table.
“Sure.”
“Who was it?”
Darlene was confused. “Who was what?”
“You lost someone you cared for. I can see it in your eyes and the way you daydream,” Pheebz said.
Darlene nearly dropped the plate in her hand. “My...my dad.”
“I don’t mean to pry. Sorry,” Pheebz said.
“No, not at all. I didn’t realize it was that obvious. I ran clear across the country to escape his ghost but he’s sitting with me now. I just miss him,” Darlene said.
“You about ready?” Herbert asked, coming down the hallway.
“If you want to talk about it later, I’m here,” Pheebz said. “Be careful today, and watch over Herbert. My husband thinks he’s half his age most of the time.”
“And I feel even younger,” Herbert said with a grin as he came into the kitchen and kissed his wife. “But get the heating pad and the Vicks out for my return.” He winked at Darlene. “You know, just in case Darlene needs it from trying to keep up.”
Chapter Eight
Day 2 I-70
Herbert remarked how many more cars there were on the road today as opposed to any other. He didn’t look happy, and Darlene could see he was keeping count of the cars.
“People all fleeing east, and it’s only going to get worse,” he said.
When Darlene and Herbert arrived at the gas station, there were two cars parked near the pumps.
“Sorry, closed,” Herbert said as he got out. “We’re out of gas.” He glanced at Darlene. “Get the pistol from the glove box...just in case.”
By the time she pulled the pistol out and got out of the truck, the two cars were driving away.
“They were friendly but they only stopped a couple of times. Wait until they go a few more miles and there’s no gas, or they start hearing about it on the radio.”
“Has it all shut down this fast?” Darlene asked.
Herbert frowned before answering. “Unfortunately, it has. And what I’m doing is part of the problem. I’m not going to lie and say what I’m doing is technically legal or moral, but my family is the most important thing to me. I paid for this gas and the food and everything inside. It’s mine. I intend to hoard it and hope this all blows over, which I don’t think will happen anytime soon.”
“I can’t say I disagree with you. If I were still in Maine, I’d lock the doors and bar the windows and hope the winter supplies my dad had stored in the basement was all I needed,” Darlene said.
“Each time we come back up here, we’ll try to move one of the cars out back as well. We can fill the bigger ones first,” Herbert said. “Let me open the bay door and pull in. I don’t want anyone on the road thinking I’m open.”
As he spoke, another car, filled with a family of five, pulled up to the pump.
“I’ll go tell them we’re closed,” Darlene said. “You pull in and make a sign saying we’re out of gas.”
“I’m going to grab my wand and pull down the prices on the sign, too. Make it look like an abandoned gas station,” Herbert said. “Maybe that will deter the looters.”
Darlene laughed. She hoped he was just being really paranoid. She got to the car just as the driver, a young guy, stepped out.
“Sorry, we’re closed,” Darlene said.
“I just need some gas.”
“We’re closed.”
The guy looked really angry, really quick. “Bullshit. I know you have gas, so just turn the pump on, bitch.”
Darlene tried to remain calm. The passenger door opened and another guy, in his early twenties, got out and put his hands on top of the hood.
“Turn on the pump so we can go,” the other guy said.
Herbert walked out of the building and made a show of cocking the shotgun in his hands. “Is there a problem?”
“Yeah, old man. Your daughter won’t let us have any gas,” the driver said.
“If we had any we’d give it to you. Since we’re all out, and there’s no chance of getting a truck in with what’s going on to the east, you’ll have to look elsewhere,” Herbert said. “I’d get home, son. And tell your daddy Herbert says hi, will ya?”
“Oh, I’ll make sure I tell my daddy you’re holding out on another townie. Not a problem at all.” He climbed back in the car and started it. His passenger lingered, staring at Darlene, before getting in.
As they drove off, Herbert came to Darlene and shook his head. “The Sawyers are trouble in the best of times. I think we need to get all the important stuff on this run.”
“You think they’ll come back?” Darlene asked.
Herbert nodded. “They’ll bring their daddy, who is the local bully, along with every cousin from Arizona to California. And they don’t believe in birth control, if you know what I mean. Common sense and decency aren’t their strong points, but the law and fear of going back to jail and prison keeps them in check. I don’t think it will matter much soon. We need to hurry.”
Darlene ran back to the garage and opened the bay while Herbert grabbed the wand and began pulling the prices off the sign.
They successfully waved off two more cars before getting the pickup and another car into the bays and closing the doors.
“Right before we hit the road we’ll fill both cars with gas. I brought twenty five-gallon cans with us and should have another twenty inside. We need to fill every last one of them,” Herbert said.
Darlene found the rest of the gas cans and put them on the back of the pickup truck. The other car was an old Suburban with plenty of room. She began loading boxes of tools from the garage into the back of the vehicle while Herbert went into the main store and made a quick sign with a piece of cardboard and a marker.
Out Of Gas.
He ran to the pumps and tied it on before heading back to box up as much of the snacks and drinks as he could. Darlene could hear the register open and Herbert put all the cash in his pockets. It’s his money, Darlene thought. Might as well take it.
Within half an hour, they had the Suburban filled with anything they could pack into it, only the driver’s seat empty for Darlene.
Herbert handed her the shotgun. “We’ll pull both trucks out and fill the gas tanks first. I’ll turn two pumps on. Then we’ll do the cans, but we need to be quick. Ready?”
Darlene could only nod, her mouth dry. She’d ne
ver had to do something as crazy and dangerous as this. She was scared to pump gas.
Her hands were shaking as she drove to the pumps and got out, looking up and down the road for oncoming cars. Darlene prayed no one would pull up and confront them while they worked. It would be obvious to anyone they weren’t out of gas.
Herbert had his pistol on the top of the gas pump within easy reach. Darlene had to put the shotgun against the Suburban but she still had her Desert Eagle within reach at all times.
When a car pulled into the parking lot, Herbert tried to wave them away. The car drove to them and the driver got out but Herbert lifted the weapon and yelled for the man to get back in his car. Luckily, the man did and drove off.
Darlene didn’t want to know what Herbert would’ve done if the man hadn’t complied. Would it come down to shooting and killing someone over gas? Darlene hoped it wouldn’t. She thought she’d rather be without than be in such a confrontation.
Herbert couldn’t meet her gaze as he went to work filling gas cans and putting them back on the pickup bed. Darlene went over and helped fill them.
It took about thirty minutes to finish and Darlene realized she’d held her breath for most of it. They’d waved off two more cars, but just as she finished filling the last empty can, an old station wagon pulled up to the pump next to them and a woman rolled down her window.
She was pregnant and had three small children in the backseat.
“Excuse me, is there any gas left?” she asked.
Darlene looked at Herbert, who was reaching for his gun but stopped. He looked at Darlene before nodding his head.
Darlene reached her gas nozzle to the woman’s car and began filling it.
When the woman opened her door, Herbert walked over and handed her a big wad of cash.
“Oh, I can’t take this,” she said.
“You’ll need it. Trust me. Just take it and don’t stop until you get somewhere safe. Stay out of the big cities and off the main roads.” Herbert was staring at the children as he spoke. “Heck, what am I doing? You can stay with us. It’s too dangerous for you on the road.”
“Thank you for everything, but I’m meeting my husband. I need to get going. I was running out of gas,” the woman said.
“You can stay with us and call him. Believe me, you don’t want to be on the road,” Herbert said.
Darlene finished filling her tank. She looked at the road for more cars. They were wasting time now. She didn’t want to be cruel, but the woman needed to either follow them or drive away. Every minute spent sitting in the open was bad.
Herbert slapped the top of the station wagon and wished her well, walking back to the pickup truck. “You ready?”
Darlene hopped into the Suburban and followed Herbert out of the parking lot. He hadn’t stopped to turn off the gas tanks. She didn’t know if he’d done it on purpose so the next lucky people coming along might ignore the sign and get gas, or he was just itching to get back to the ranch.
A mile up the road she pulled out her cell phone and sighed when she saw she had three bars, enough to call her aunt. She scrolled through her missed calls from the last few days and dialed her number.
The phone rang twice before it disconnected.
Darlene tried it twice more with the same result before giving up. She’d try again later if they came back out to the gas station. If Herbert had no intention of coming back, and Darlene hoped it was the case, she could use the house phone and call tonight. With everything going on, she wouldn’t be surprised to know the cell towers or lines were down. It was a long way to Boston from here.
When they got back to the house, Pheebz was waiting on the front steps. Darlene noticed she had a rifle leaning against the railing.
“Any trouble?” she asked as Herbert walked up and kissed her cheek.
“It could’ve been worse. The Sawyer brothers are going to give us some flack,” Herbert said. “But we cleaned out everything I thought we needed.”
Darlene went to unload the Suburban but Herbert put his hand up. “Park it in the red barn out back. We’ll clean out my pickup of the gas as quick as we can and go make another run. We’ll keep picking up a new car and loading it until we run out of stuff or vehicles,” Herbert said.
“Sounds like a plan,” Darlene said and drove the Suburban into the barn. By the time she jogged back to the front of the house, most of the gasoline cans were already out and on the porch.
“Pheebz will take them inside and store them in the root cellar while we go,” Herbert said.
Darlene jumped into the pickup without another word. She was frightened to be going back to the gas station. What if the Sawyer brothers were waiting for them? Or someone worse?
They drove back in silence, but both exchanged looks at the number of cars on the road. Most of them had bags and furniture strapped to the roofs of the vehicles, and scared faces peering out the windows.
Darlene put her hand on the shotgun as they neared the gas station. She could see a dozen cars in the parking lot in line for the gas pumps.
“Looks like we will be out of gas soon,” Herbert said. “I knew leaving the pump on was the wrong idea. And I don’t see any locals in line, either.”
“What about the rest of the supplies?” Darlene asked, but as she looked at the gas station building itself she had her answer. The front door had been kicked in and both windows to either side were broken.
Herbert drove around to the back of the building and pulled a set of keys from his pocket, thumbing through them until he found the one he was looking for. He pointed at an old Camaro parked farther in the back parking lot next to the dumpster. “Think you can drive it back? It might be the last one we get. Might as well take a car I know has a full tank and new engine.”
Darlene took the key and grinned. “I’ll race you home.”
“Sounds good. I think most folks are heading in the opposite direction and the local police have their hands full with all this traffic in town. But be careful,” Herbert said.
“Of course.”
Chapter Nine
Day 2 I-70
The Camaro was the last car they retrieved from the gas station. By the time they raced home (Darlene let Herbert win) and turned back, the gas station was gone.
Engulfed in flames.
None of the vehicles in the back parking lot were worth saving, most of them destroyed before the fire. Darlene could clearly see sliced tires and busted windshields. Whoever had done this had made sure nothing was salvageable.
“The Sawyers will come sooner than later. We need to be prepared,” Herbert said as he turned back toward home.
Darlene watched from the passenger side as the sky darkened, outlining the flames. She was sure, with any remaining gas left, it would burn for hours, and no one would put it out.
Herbert startled her by putting a hand on her shoulder as he drove.
“I’m really sorry for getting you into this mess,” he said.
“What are you talking about? If I’d left, there’s an excellent chance I wouldn’t be alive right now, or I’d be stuck somewhere without food and water. I’m glad I stayed.”
“The Sawyers will come hot and heavy as soon as they think we dropped our guard,” Herbert said. “I’m not sure if you can handle it.”
“Because I’m a girl?”
Herbert laughed. “No, we both know you’re a woman. But you weren’t raised out here. You were brought up—”
“City folk? You can say it.” Darlene pointed at the side of the road. “Pull over.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve offended you,” Herbert said.
Darlene laughed. “Not at all. But pull over and get out with me. This will only take a second.”
Herbert looked confused, which made Darlene smile.
As soon as they got out Darlene walked up the road, looking both ways to make sure there wasn’t any traffic. They’d already pulled off the main road so they were clear.
She pulled her Desert Eagl
e out and took a shooting stance.
“See the middle tree? Second branch from the bottom,” Darlene said and pulled the trigger. The shot hit the branch and split it from the tree.
When she turned to look at Herbert she wasn’t surprised to see him smiling.
“I guess you do know how to shoot. My apologies, ma’am.”
“Apology accepted. My dad gave me this weapon and took me shooting every chance he got. I got pretty good with it. I just hope I don’t have to aim at a living, breathing target,” Darlene said.
“So do I. Let’s get home,” Herbert said.
As soon as they got back on the road, Darlene tried calling her aunt again, but the call wouldn’t connect. She dialed a couple of the women she worked with at the mall, but again, no connection.
“No luck?” Herbert asked.
“Nope.” Darlene put her phone away and slumped in her seat. As much as she appreciated what Herbert and Pheebz were doing for her, she wished she were home. In times of trouble, it was the most comforting place to be, and she couldn’t be farther away from Maine right now.
Herbert turned on the radio. There was no music, only news.
“You mind if I listen for a bit? Pheebz gets really emotional, so I want to keep the TV off tonight if possible. I’d rather know all the bad things before she does,” Herbert said.
“Not a problem.”
Darlene had been listening while she drove the Suburban and Camaro back to the house. The reports were all the same information regurgitated over and over in an endless loop. The whole country was already reverting to animalistic tendencies—people attacking neighbors and looting at will. It was as if the thin curtain of civility had been lifted easily away. All anyone really needed was the weakest excuse to kill and steal, and that was what they seemed to be doing, at least according to the radio reports.
By the time they pulled into the long driveway and Herbert parked next to the porch, Darlene had heard enough. She gladly turned off the radio and went inside.
