by J. R. Tate
Going against medical advice, he went back up to ground level to begin his search for tools to fix the car, or another means of transportation to get his son reunited with his mother and get him help. There were several trashed cars around town, but most were in even worse shape than being flooded.
Steve got his head stitched up and was back out, helping him. When he got to the area of town where his shop was located, he wasn’t surprised that it was the same story as everywhere else. The two cars he had left in the garage the night everything had changed were gone. One was an old Ford Bronco and the other, a Camaro, no signs that he was ever in possession of them. He stopped in front of where Mrs. McElroy’s bakery once stood and took his baseball cap off, taking a moment of silence for her.
He found a couple of wrenches pushed down in the dirt, and a few car parts to things that wouldn’t be compatible with the Dodge Neon. Sifting through debris piles, he came up short, but he was able to gather a couple of towels and a hammer to add to his arsenal. He was going to have to get creative when fixing the car. He doubted he’d be able to figure it out.
Nightfall set in over the area, and the moon was bright, the stars twinkling, giving false security to the ones left behind.
“Let’s call it a night and get back to the church,” Ryan said. “And Steve, you don’t have to help me. Stay here where it’s safe. I appreciate all that you’ve done, but this isn’t your problem.”
“What else have I got to do?”
Ryan knew good help was hard to find, and though he still didn’t know much about Steve, he was thankful for the bond they had developed. He found Cecilia in the far corner of the basement. Thankfully it was a big enough area, and with not many around, they had some privacy. What he’d give to have a complete moment alone with her, but neither were in good enough shape to even think about it.
“Find anything you can use?” Cecilia asked, pulling the blankets back on the pallet she had made.
“Not really. And even if I did, it’s still a good hike back to where we left the car. I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna do, Cecilia.”
“You’ll figure it out, Ryan. And I was thinking. I want to come with you.”
Ryan shook his head and bit his bottom lip. “Say that again. I want to make sure I heard you right.”
“I want to come with you. He’s my son too, Ryan. I want to help him.”
“No, that’s not a good idea, Cecilia.”
“Why not?”
“What if something happens to us? You wanna leave Ryan without both parents?”
“You can’t talk like that.” She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them. “All this time apart and all I could think was that you were dead. Now you’re here and I don’t want to let you out of my sight. But we have to get our baby, Ryan. And the only way to keep you near to me is to go. I want to help Ty just as badly as you do.”
Ryan was too tired to argue with her, but he couldn’t let it go. “Both of us getting killed out there isn’t going to help him. I can get back to him. I made it this far. I can do it again.”
Cecilia went to say something, but closed her mouth and looked away. Ryan guided her to face him again, his index finger under her chin. Leaning in, he skimmed his lips over hers, gently kissing her, his free hand sliding down the side of her breast.
She pulled away first, smoothing her hands down her hair. “You’re going to come back safe to me, right?” It was a whisper, and so quiet that Ryan had to read her lips.
“I am. And Ty will too. And then we’ll work on finding your parents. You’re a damn good woman for wanting to come, but for me, please stay here. Will you do that for me?”
She nodded and closed her eyes, kissing him again. “I love you, Ryan. I still can’t believe this is happening.”
“Me either. Let’s get some rest. Tomorrow is a new day. One step at a time, yeah?”
“Cecilia smirked and laid back on the blankets. “I guess there’s one plus to all of this.”
“What’s that?”
“Your attitude. The Ryan from before wasn’t too good at the one step at a time plan.”
If only she knew the inner struggle he had faced every day. Some things were best left unsaid.
Snuggling beside her, he hugged her from behind. Burying his face in her neck, he almost felt guilty for snuggling since Ty was still out there in danger. But he couldn’t pull himself away. It felt like he’d wake up and it’d all be a dream, and he’d have to accept the reality that Cecilia was gone. The scent of her hair and the feel of her skin against him confirmed that this was happening, even if it seemed too good to be true.
~~
After the storm passed, Darryl stuck true to his word. Ty was suffering, they were hungry, and he couldn’t sit around and wait, watching his grandson die a slow, painful death. Water was low, food was even lower, and now that he had a fever, the sense of urgency was intensified.
He found a duffel bag in the cabinet and filled it with water and the rest of the food. Ty was asleep, and Darryl didn’t know if the boy would even be able to walk, much less trek the twelve miles into Harper Springs.
“Ty?” Darryl gently touched his shoulder, but he was a sound sleeper, so he nudged him again, a little harder the second time. “Ty?”
His eyelids fluttered open and he blinked a few times, squinting against the lantern beside the lawn chair. “Grandpa?”
“You ready to go?”
“Where are we going?”
His eyes lit up some, but with the dark circles and bags around them, he didn’t look like the same kid Darryl once knew. “I’m going to take you and get some help. Sound good?”
Ty nodded and sat up, and Darryl skimmed his hand across his forehead. His skin was still blazing hot and sweaty, and Ty’s eyes looked heavy. He was definitely running a higher fever than the last time he checked him, and he couldn’t bring himself to shove another painkiller down his throat. He didn’t want to risk the organ issues on top of everything else.
“Can you walk?” Darryl asked.
“Yeah, I can walk.”
“I’m going to carry you up.”
They got to ground level and Darryl remembered Doug, tied up, suddenly a hitch in his plan. What in the hell was he going to do with him? Ty followed him to the stranger, but Darryl kept himself between the two of them in case Doug tried to do something in retaliation. It never occurred to him to take Doug in when the storm hit, but it turned out to be nothing more than rain anyway, the brunt of the strong weather staying north of them. His mind had been on Ty, and he was thankful the weather wasn’t severe. Even with Doug’s history, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he suffered.
“What are your plans, Doug?”
Doug looked up at Darryl in surprise, his eyes wide as if the question was taboo. “I already told you what I want you to do. A free pass to kill me, and you won’t do it. You sure didn’t hesitate when you shot me.”
“It’s a scratch. You’re fine. And I’m not going to kill you. I don’t think you really want me to do it.”
“Are you leaving?”
“We are.” Darryl didn’t want to go into more detail with him. He still didn’t trust the man, which was why it was so damn hard letting him go.
“That’s a death sentence. You two won’t last the day out there.”
“I’m willing to take my chances. No one is coming. It’s a death sentence if we stay here. And I don’t have to justify a damn thing to you, Doug. You’re the one who decided to loot. You’re the one who tried to take advantage of others, which got your brother killed. I don’t blame Ryan for locking you in that cellar.”
Doug looked away, the mention of his brother silencing him up. “That’s a blow below the belt, old man. You asked what my plans were?”
“Yeah.” Darryl shook his head. For a second, he felt some sympathy for Doug.
“Just leave me here. Tied to this tree.”
“You don’t want me to do th
at. I know you don’t.”
Doug clenched his jaw and looked back up at Darryl. “If you let me go, I’m going to come after you. I’m going to go find Ryan and finish the job, for my brother. I can’t let him die in vain. So your best bet, old man, is to just keep me where I am.”
“If you’re so dead set on taking out revenge on my family, why tell me? Why not let me untie you and then do it?”
Doug didn’t answer him and dug his heel into the soft ground.
“I know why. Suicide by way of reverse psychology.” Darryl laughed and swiped the sweat from the back of his neck. The humidity felt like it was picking up again, which meant they needed to get moving, or be stuck there even longer. “I’m not going to let you do that.”
Kneeling down, he untied the ropes, and when he stood up, he kept one hand on the butt of the gun in his pocket, just in case Doug had a change of heart. He could have been playing him all along, trying for the sympathy card, and Darryl couldn’t risk it. But Doug didn’t do anything. He got to his feet, dusted his pants off, and double checked the bandage over his shin. The wound wasn’t bad at all, and he’d be fine to walk.
“Just keep in mind, I have the gun. I’m going to watch your every move. You’re coming with us to Harper Springs.”
“Can’t you just let a man be? Why take me along?”
“For several reasons, Doug. I see potential in you. If you can lead a sting of looting and mayhem, you can lead for something good. And I also can’t keep looking over my shoulder if we do go our separate ways. I don’t know you from Adam. I can’t risk you coming back and finishing the job, as you put it.”
Doug hoisted his backpack on his shoulder and scoffed. “Going north is our funeral, but since I want you to put me out of my misery anyway, you have no objection from me. We’ll be dead long before Harper Springs is on the horizon.”
~~
Ryan woke up early the next morning. The rescue team had brought in another victim, and it was a teenaged boy who wasn’t in good shape. He had blood stained down his face from what looked like a head injury, and just like most of the people, he looked tired, hungry, and ready for all of it to be over. He seemed familiar, but Ryan couldn’t place his name. He knew him from somewhere.
Cecilia stirred beside him and he smiled, gently kissing her cheek as she sat up, stretching out.
“Best night of sleep I’ve gotten since the night before hell on earth started,” Ryan said, kissing her again. “Hey, who is that kid they just brought in? How do I know him?”
Cecilia yawned and looked in that direction. “Hard to tell with all that blood on his face.” They both watched in silence for a few minutes, and she snapped her fingers and said, “That’s Bryson Taylor! Basketball star of the Harper Springs Panthers. Starting point guard two years in a row and he’s just a junior.”
“That’s right! Damn, talk about a reality check. At least they found someone else alive. We’re outnumbered in comparison to the church across the street.”
“And you better not add to it, Ryan. I thought about it a lot last night. Is this our way of life now? Staying underground, small portions of food, and someone has to risk their life to get to the river for water? There’s no quality of life in that scenario.”
“No, there’s not,” Ryan agreed, holding her hand. “Something has to give. This can’t be a new normal. I have to believe that.”
“Me too. And you’re a good man for everything you’ve done. Just make sure you come back to me. Make sure I see sweet little Ty again.”
“You know I will.” He pulled her in for a hug, kissing the top of her head. “I am gonna go back out there and see what else I can find. I’ll check in with you in an hour.”
When he stood up, his leg felt even sorer than the day before. The tension of the stitches made his stomach clench, remembering the pain ripping through his body when he had to outrun the storm. He’d probably have the limp for a long time and hopefully, it wouldn’t be something permanent.
Steve joined him outside. They went back to the former area of Ryan’s shop and dug through debris piles. It was hard staying positive, but Ryan made himself not fall into a negative slump. The fact that he had found Cecilia alive was a boost to get him out of the sudden rut he found himself in just a few days ago.
“Are you the one who is looking for a vehicle?”
Ryan looked up and saw Tommy Wilson coming up the road. He was a fellow firefighter on the department with him, and it was great to see a familiar face.
“Tommy! Good to see you!” Ryan shook his hand and spread his arms. “Just going through all this shit. Hoping to find something salvageable from my shop. Coming up empty handed.”
“I’ve heard some crazy tornado stories about them blowing away one house and leaving the one next door untouched. And that urban legend about the bible in the church being turned to Genesis. But this is all new to me. It’s like Harper Springs never existed. The cement slab below us is the only hint.”
Ryan motioned toward Steve and introduced the two men. “This is Steve. He’s new to the area. He’s helped me out a lot getting here.”
“Oh yeah, I know you. We met about a month ago. You were looking into buying some goats from me.”
“That’s right! I don’t reckon you have any left,” Steve said, laughing.
“Couldn’t answer that. Some animals are making their way back. Some are still missing. I figure most didn’t survive, just like people. I’m helping on the rescue team. Every day, I swear the ratio is five to one on the dead people we bring in.”
“As soon as I get my son here, I’ll help with that, but I’m sort of a one-man rescue squad myself, with the help of Steve here.”
“Your son is missing?” A genuine look of concern flashed across Tommy’s face.
“No. He’s back at my place with my dad. He got hurt during that first round that came through. I came to town to get help and find Cecilia. Now I need to get back to him. We came across a car down by the river, but it’s flooded, so I’m trying to find anything I can to patch it up and get it running long enough to make it out there. It’s too far to bring him on foot.”
“No, don’t do that.” Tommy shook his head. “We’ve got a couple of horses over at the church. They were part of the livestock I was talking about that randomly showed back up. You know, they say to watch a horse when the weather is getting bad. They have the best instincts about what is coming.”
“How many horses do you have?”
“Three so far. Take one! You’ll have better luck than wasting more time trying to fix a car. I know you’re a damn fine mechanic but get that boy back here. Get him back with his mama.”
“I wouldn’t be imposing on the rescue team?”
“Hell no! We’re taking a break anyhow. Don’t make me tell you again. Take one!”
Ryan didn’t have to be told twice. It wouldn’t be as fast as a car, but it would definitely be better than walking. And with about a day’s hike back to Mrs. McElroy’s car, and more time to fix it, taking a horse was the smartest choice he could make at that moment.
Chief Rayburn saddled up a paint horse and said, “She’s the fastest one we have. If we don’t see you by tomorrow evening, we’ll head that way. Be careful, Ryan. I don’t have to tell you how dangerous it is out there.”
“No sir. And thank you for letting me do this.”
“Get going. Can’t wait to see that boy of yours.”
Ryan hopped on the horse and pulled on the reins, pointing her south of town. His thigh burned, but it was the last thing on his mind. Lightning flashed in the distance. Tommy was right – a horse had great instincts when it came to weather. He’d keep one eye on the sky and one eye on her behavior. Soon, he’d get Ty help. Soon, his family would be together again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ryan gripped the reins tight as he galloped away from Harper Springs. It was hard leaving Cecilia there. She wanted to go, and he wanted to stay, never wanting to let her out of his
sight again, but he had to save Ty. With as long as he had been away from him and his father, he feared the worst – what if they ran out of food and water? What if a looter got them? A lot could happen in the time apart, and with the fates riding against them, Ryan couldn’t underestimate any possibility of something going wrong.
“You didn’t have to come with me.” Ryan looked over at Steve, who was becoming a good pal that he appreciated. Without his company and help, finding Cecilia and getting that far never would have been possible.
“What else would I be doing? Sitting around the storm shelter, twiddling my thumbs? Forget about it, Ryan. And when we make it back with all of your family accounted for, I’ll help the rescue team go out and get others. No sense in wasting time.”
“You’re a good man, Steve. Going out of your way for people you don’t even know. That’s a trait not too many people harbor anymore.”
“I may not be here from here, but I come from a place that has similar values to Harper Springs. Everyone here is family now. I’ll do what I can to help.”
Ryan nodded and watched the sun move behind some thick clouds on the horizon. Keeping Tommy’s advice in mind, he kept an eye on his horse, looking out for any erratic behavior that would tip him off to changing weather. Right now, the clouds weren’t too ominous to worry about, but with as fast as things had changed, he wouldn’t take it lightly.
There was also a slight dip in temperature, which was a refreshing change. Instead of going back and forth between the river and the highway, Ryan took a more direct route to his house. It would cut off a few miles, but it meant riding through more un-level ground and wooded areas, which were not as thick as they had been before the shift in the weather pattern. Steve seemed to be handling the horse well, and the chances of having to run them at full speed were likely.
