Afraid of the Dark

by Chris Hechtl

  “Who has the time?” Jen asked amused. She rubbed her friend's shoulder. “We'll get it done eventually. One thing at a time,” she said.

  “We're running out of time. There is a narrow window on how long we can keep the food out before it spoils.”

  “I know,” Jen said nodding.

  “Not just the frozen and fridge stuff either. That stuff out there,” Jayne said indicating the loads of food outside. Jen glanced that way and nodded.

  “Jayne I know,” she said firmly. Jayne sighed and then nodded after a moment. She looked down and rubbed at the back of her hand.

  “Course you do, sorry,” she said. Her voice was hoarse from yelling.

  “You're tired, stressed and working flat out. You need a vacation,” Jen said.

  Jayne threw her head back and laughed incredulously, shaking her head. People stopped to look but others bumped them to move along. After a moment of mirth she wiped her eyes.

  “Thanks I needed that,” she said still chuckling.

  “Apparently so,” Jen said smiling a little. “We've got stuff shifted to the other restaurants and food shops in the mall. Can we maybe clear out a few more stores and stuff them with appliances? Maybe rewire their AC and turn them into giant walk in freezers?”

  “I dunno, I'll sick Bob or one of the H and A guys he's got on it first chance I get,” Jayne said with a nod. She saw Sheila arguing with someone and grimaced. “Right oh, breaks over, got to play queen bitch,” she said face devolving into a scowl as she straightened.

  “You go get em girl,” Jen said giving her a smack on the ass and then moving off. “Tamara have you seen Bob? I've got another project for him we need done ASAP as usual,” she said.

  Alfredo was leading a team of men and one woman to create a cement wall six feet high around the front of the food court courtyard. He wasn't sure if they could make it in time, but according to that lady Jayne they were going to stack pallets of goods in front if they didn't finish. The handyman had a good crew, they were moving at a good clip despite the sun and heat. They were all dressed in jeans and t shirts, and each sported a straw hat and a big sports bottle nearby.

  He looked over the wall. They were about three feet high but running low on supplies already. Alfredo had wanted to pour cement but they didn't have the time or materials. At least they were using rebar. They were resorting to fencing to cover the top for now.

  “What's the deal with the windows?” he asked looking at them. Most of the windows and doors were covered over now with plywood with an outer layer of chain link fence.

  Alfredo took a look, wiped his brow with a soaked handkerchief then went back to work. “Is the best we can do man, it’s screwed into the metal frame. We can add something from the inside if you want.”

  “No it’s fine. I was just asking. Good job,” Shane said with a nod. “Are the other entrances covered?” he asked.

  “I dunno I've been busy working here senor.”

  “I had hoped we'd find something better,” Shane mused.

  “Ain't going to happen boss man, here we stay. No time to dither,” Alfredo said.

  “Okay, okay, I get the message, moving on,” he said. He decided to check in with Wayne and the crew near the loading docks.

  As he walked he looked over to J.C.Penny's. Both entrances were covered in steel plates. A woman was tacking along the perimeter of the plates, using a skull welding mask to shade her eyes.

  The doors in between the store and the food court had been covered and welded shut. All but the police station door and the loading dock. Good.

  The loading dock was in full swing. Trucks were unloading while others waited patiently nearby. Material was stuck all over the place in crates and boxes. He even spotted a few plants. He thought about the building and winced. It was Swiss cheese. They needed a better option. He came up behind Wayne.

  Wayne turned at his step and shook his head. “No dice, I came up empty. You?” he asked. Shane shook his head.

  “No way,” he said shaking his head. “This place is a freaking sieve,” he said quietly to Wayne.

  “Well, forting up somewhere else is out boss man, we can't get anywhere else. It’s all taken. The good shit anyway,” Wayne said shaking his head. “I checked. March is forted up and the roads around it are a parking lot, no way to get through at all. We'd be on foot most of the way. I can't get anyone on the net, no one knows who's in charge and half the people are civies,” Wayne said shaking his head. “I caught one or two guys but they got drowned out.”

  “Ouch,” he winced. He'd hoped someone on base would take charge. Send crews out to maintain the peace and keep order. Hunt down the damn aliens. So much for that idea.

  “Besides we've got too many people,” Jayne said coming up behind them. They turned to look at her. She waved a tablet. “We've got over four thousand people and counting here. No way can we cram them all in a warehouse. We're here, at least for the night.”

  “We could,” Shane said stubbornly. He thought about the buildings nearby. A few might work. Wal-Mart for one. Or Sams. Definitely Sams and the new super Wal-Mart. The old Wal-Mart building too. Maybe the furniture stores.

  “Yeah, and what about food and water?” she asked in exasperation. She waved her hands again. “You honestly think one toilet and a microwave will work? For this many people? Men!” she threw her hands up in the air. “It’s a little late to be having second thoughts you know!”

  “Easy Jayne, easy, when you put it like that you're right. Logistics. Okay then. When we've got lemons, make lemonade I guess. We'll make it work.”

  “We'd better,” she said giving him a sour expression. He shrugged. “We have to, we don't have a choice,” she said pointing to the sinking sun. “It'll be dark by seven. Less than two hours to go.”

  “Yeah,” he said, both men and some others around them looked at the sun. He'd thought it was closer to five earlier. Now he knew better. He hated not having a decent clock. “Yeah we've got our work cut out for us,” he said wiping his brow. It was blistering hot there. He wasn't sure how Alfredo and the crew could do it.

  “Put on some sun block. Both of you. And keep hydrated. Its damn near a hundred out here,” Jayne said. She snagged a water bottle and tossed it to Wayne. The cop fumbled it, not expecting it so soon. He caught it on the bounce and grimaced, shooting the woman an accusing look.

  “What? Don't mind me, just looking out for your health,” she said turning away. “Not that you idiots care, you're so caught up in the moment,” she muttered walking off and then waving to someone trying to get a stove inside. “What the hell? No, no, no! That's out here, we want the fridges and freezers inside! Those! Not this damn thing!”

  “Fun, fun, fun in the hot sun, sun, sun,” Shane said shaking his head. Wayne grimaced.

  “I thought you'd be off trying to restore order or something,” he said to the cop when Wayne didn't say anything.

  “Been there, tried that. It’s a mad house out there. I figured I'd keep an eye on Torres here and we'd do it together. Work our way out. Deputize people and try to restore order.”

  “Yeah, good luck with that,” someone passing them said. “You two want to get moving? You keep griping about time's a wasting!”

  “We're going we're going. John check the...”

  “Perimeter and fill any holes. I got the crews to snag those video cameras. If we've got time I want to rig them on the perimeter.”

  “We've got exterior cameras,” Shane said, pointing to the ones outside. There was a crew on a cherry picker adding more.

  John looked up and then back. “Yeah, but I was thinking out there,” he said pointing to the lights near the edge of the parking lot. Shane looked then nodded.

  “Good idea,” he said after a moment.

  “We'll need to fort up, but we'll need an outer curtain wall,” Bob said coming over to them. They turned. “Castle 101 gentlemen, keep your enemies as far from the keep as you can and have a place to fall back to,”
he said. He was wearing a hard hat. He took it off, wiped his brow then put it back on. “Jayne pointed it out to me. she said you told her. She handed me a kid’s book an hour ago. I flipped through it while eating a sandwich.”

  “Okay, good point. Outer wall is on the To-do list. Gotcha,” Shane said shooting an amused look to the cop. Like they could do a full castle here.

  “You doubt me now but not when it gets real bad. Think about it. Do you want to be fighting the aliens here in the doorway? Or out there?” Bob asked waving. “Clear fields of fire and all that. Here, once they are inside then its game over. Out there if we have a problem we can always fall back. Bill was right about that.”

  “Point,” Shane said with a nod. “Okay draw me up a plan. We'll try to do what we can. But first thing is to get this secured.” He indicated the mall proper.

  “Right, I'll just check the other doors and see what more we can do tonight. You get any more loads send them to other doors.”

  “Gotcha,” Shane said with a nod.

  “Seriously, the other side of the mall is scary,” Bob called as he walked away. They waved and nodded.

  “He's right,” Wayne said with a wince. Shane turned to him, face sober. “It’s scary. Solid glass man. Anything can break in if they get around to that side. And its right across from where I hear people are bedding down.”

  “I'll look into it,” Shane said after a moment. He winced. He was so tired he'd forgotten that. “Come on, let's go.”

  “I'll check the perimeter, you help Jayne sort this out,” Wayne said waving.

  The truck's air brakes made him and others look up a few minutes later. He smiled at the sight of Walt and the truck. The air horn was an unnecessary touch but it definitely got everyone's attention. Walt sure did know how to make an entrance. The shipping container would be an awesome addition to the growing wall. They had already moved the ones on site to the outer perimeter, but it looked like Walt had found a half dozen or more.

  Walt leaned out the window and grinned like a loon. “Hey man where you want em? We deliver!” He jerked his thumb behind him. Dave and other drivers were coming in with similar loads.

  Shane grinned as he came over. He climbed up on the step. “Get them around back to that area. I'll send Bill or someone to that side and have them direct you.”

  “The back? You don't want em here man?” Walt asked in surprise.

  “The back. It’s a glass wall. Right across from this.”

  “Shit man, I forgot. We'll get it done,” Walt said. Shane backed off and Walt leaned out the window to whistle. “Yo backside folks! Follow me!” he waved as he pulled out.

  Shane watched them and nodded. He turned to Jayne. “Jayne get someone to bring them some water and power bars. Check with everyone; make sure they've got plenty of water. I want them out again ASAP. See if we can get a couple more before dark. Get...”

  “Someone to the other entrance to help guide Walt and crew and help unload. Got it,” she said jotting a note on her clipboard. She took her walkie talkie and started issuing orders as she walked away.

  “Good to have good subordinates,” Shane said looking at the others. Jayne had this under control. He looked over to the pallets forming a temporary wall around the outside edge of the parking lots. There was quite a bit there, and growing every minute. It looked like they were cleaning out every store, cleaning them out of everything, not just the stuff he'd specified. Hopefully they wouldn't wear themselves out too quickly. He tried to make a tired mental note to get some people bedded down. It was going to be a long night after all. He needed some people awake and alert.

  “Hey boss!” he turned to Jayne. She tossed him a water bottle. He caught it, then she tossed him a protein bar and then another drink. “Wife said to eat or she'll crown you.”

  “Yeah,” he said with a smile and wave.

  “Bill,” he said pulling the big guard over. The man was drenched in sweat.

  “Yeah boss?” the man said tiredly. Shane handed him a drink. He took it and chugged it. When he was done he wiped at his mouth.

  “Bill take a dozen or maybe two dozen people. Militia people here and get them to bed down somewhere. Minimum four hours rest.”

  “What for boss? Thought this was all hands on deck?” he asked indicating the throng of people moving around them.

  Shane looked around and nodded. “It is, but we need to have people on guard at night. They need to be alert, not asleep at their posts.”

  “Ah, gotcha,” Bill said nodding.

  “Get, um, find someone reliable to cover for you for four hours and get some downtime yourself. We'll work out a shift rotation later tonight,” he said wiping sweat from his eyes.

  “Okay, I... damn, can't ask Wayne, he's out trying to help people. Um...”

  “Bob's busy, Walt and Dave are too. Jayne's got her hands full,” Shane said.

  “Eliminating the obvious boss?” Bill asked. “Leon for one. Bert or Ross if they are up for it.”

  “You're not the only one tired,” Shane said with a groan as he stretched. “Got to keep moving or I'll freeze up solid. Look, get someone, that cop Torres if possible. She just needs to be on call if it comes to that. I've got to get back out there,” he said.

  “I know boss, I'll...” Bill frowned and waved. “We'll figure it out,” he said nodding.

  “Good.”

  “Alex right?” he pointed to a guy in a battered Edison shirt. He was one of the guys who were working on hooking up the generators from the stores to the power grid. Jayne had found him and put him to work with a couple of electricians since the electrical grid was spotty. The guy turned and nodded. Despite the situation he was mostly in his element Shane noted. That was for the best for everyone. Keeping them busy was right now the best thing to keeping them from panicking as sunset crept ever closer.

  “Okay Alex, take, um...” he looked around. None of the people around looked like the electricians Jayne had said were a part of the team. A few of the girls raised their hands hesitantly. “Thanks ladies. Peggie right?” He pointed to one, an older neighbor of his he barely recognized. The frumpy woman nodded jerkily. The woman had double chins, and a greenish complexion. It didn't look like she was handling the heat and stress at all well.

  “I'm Anne,” the mousy woman said next to her. She patted her friend's arm. “What do you want us to do?” she asked, looking inquiringly at him.

  He cleared his throat and then smiled a tight lipped smile. “I want you and a couple of other people to run wiring and play gopher for Alex and a few others. Alex think you can get up on the roof and rig some of those cameras and solar panels? We've got tons of batteries too.”

  “I dunno man, getting dark,” Alex said. He looked at the setting sun. They had about an hour or so left. It was getting close to six, maybe six thirty.

  Shane frowned. He needed to get people to get out of their shell, to move and move fast. Taking their time and turtling was a luxury they couldn't afford anymore. “We've got an hour or so. I don't expect it all done, just take the ladies up and get a lay of the land. See what needs doing tonight. Sketch out a plan and list of what you'll need. Come down in twenty to thirty or so okay?”

  The man nodded but his eyes were a little wide.

  “Think electric Alex, think of electric fences up there and along the perimeter. Just go take a quick peek. Work with the ladies to figure out how to best run cable and explain what needs doing. Peggy grab a tablet or a pad of paper and a pen and take notes okay?” The woman nodded.

  “Hey man, you’re talking up my alley!” a man said coming over. They looked at him. “I'm Peter with J3 solar panel installing. Solar's my bailiwick. I was pulling the panels from the local stores. We've got them around back.”

  Shane gave him a quick look over and then shrugged. “Great you’re hired. You handle the solar; Alex will run the wiring and cameras. Get it sorted out. Go,” he shooed them off. Peter was grinning at Anne. The mousy woman brushed her hair out
of her eyes and over her ear.

  “And life moves on,” Shane said softly, watching them go until Walt waved to him urgently. “And next on the agenda...”

  “We've got the major entrances taken care of; everything's buttoned as tight as we can make it. Think it'll make the difference?” Bill asked looking around. The sun was just on the horizon, kissing it ever so gently and insistently. They could hear animals starting to come out. There was an occasional caw or screech, apparently their equivalent of a howl. They hadn't had any trouble getting everyone inside. Getting them fed and bedded down though... that was turning into a nightmare all on it’s own.

  “Yeah, it'll have to do. Bill get that watch sorted out. I don't think people are going to be able to sleep but try to get them to do so.”

  “Where man?” Bill asked looking around the inside of the mall. It was chaos central. He looked over the rail and grimaced. The first floor was even worse. There were people milling about everywhere.

  “The ladies set up a barracks area below the food court on the first floor. Both sides away from the doors and windows.”

  “Ah. Don't think anyone's sleeping now though.” Bill looked dog tired but stubborn.

  “Try to get them to do so. You too.”

  “No offense boss, but you're about out on your feet as well you know,” Bill said.

  “I'll get some down time as soon as we've got everyone inside and the perimeter is secure,” he said stubbornly. He scrubbed a hand over his face. He'd had his share of back to back days in the marines; he knew how to stay awake and alert. But damn it if that wasn't over a decade ago. Jen was right, he wasn't getting any younger. “Did you get any downtime?” he asked shooting the tired looking Bill a look. Bill shook his head. “I will when you do,” he said.

  “Right,” Bill said dubiously.

  “Seriously. Get at least two hours down time somewhere quiet then come relieve me. Deal?” Shane asked holding a hand out.

  “Sure,” Bill said looking at the hand and then shaking it. “Not that I believe we'll get the chance.” He shook his head and walked off.