Megan distributed the items to the four packs. Willow would be carrying JJ in a wrap, which meant the gear needed to support her and JJ would have to be carried by the rest of them.
“Why a hat?” Megan asked. “Won't that make us hotter?”
Brenda shook her head. “No, it will protect your head from burning and provide some shade for your nose and neck. You’ll also need to wear long sleeves.”
“What? No way!” Megan vehemently disagreed. “It’s going to be crazy hot.”
Chase spoke up. “She's right. Think about the typical dress of people in Africa or the Middle East. They cover themselves head to toe for a reason. A sunburn is no joke. A light cotton or silk material will be cool enough and will keep your skin shaded.”
Megan groaned. Wearing pants and long sleeves didn’t appeal to her, but she could see the reasoning behind it.
“Fine. Anything else I need to know?”
Brenda and Chase exchanged a look. “I think that covers that part of your journey,” Chase said. “Now, let's get into these bug-out-bags and get you prepared for a city full of angry, hungry people.”
Evan shook his head. “Ravena had one of the highest crime rates in America before the collapse. I can only imagine what it’s like now.”
Wyatt grimaced. “We’ll have to be on our toes because we’ll be in very hostile territory. Each of us needs to wear cargo pants to have easy access to our ammunition.”
Cargo pants had become a regular part of their wardrobe. Megan thought back to the days when she avoided the style of pants because they made her look short and squat. Now, she couldn't imagine wearing anything else. The functionality was far more important than her need to be fashionable.
Rosie came downstairs, carrying a small box.
“What's that?” Wyatt asked.
“Sunglasses. All different styles and sizes,” Rosie said. “I may not be some trained combat vet used to traipsing around the desert, but even I know you have to keep your eyes protected.”
“Good thinking, Rosie,” Chase praised.
The woman beamed with pride as they each rummaged through the box picking out a pair.
“Take a couple extras in case yours break or are lost,” Rosie instructed.
Once their eyewear was taken care of, they turned their attention back to the contents of the bug out bags.
Tara had packed up portions of the pemmican, dried meat, and Megan's favorite, hard tack. They each had two full bottles of water, along with some of the chlorine tablets for purifying water they found. Wyatt was carrying a metal cup to use over an open fire to boil more water as needed.
“Everyone have a headlamp?” Wyatt asked.
After some rummaging, everyone answered yes.
Chase was looking at Megan's feet before turning to look at Evan and Bryan's feet.
“What?” Bryan asked.
“Making sure you have proper footwear. I know tennis shoes would be a lot lighter and more comfortable, but you’re going into what was probably a war zone. There’s going to be glass and other debris you have to walk through. You can't wear footwear that doesn't have a durable sole. Watch for nails as well,” he explained.
Megan suddenly felt as if she were preparing to go to war. They didn't prepare this much when they went to McDaniel's camp for battle. This time they’d not only have the added responsibility of keeping a baby safe, but the journey was going to be long. They had to be smart and resourceful.
“Okay, bandanas for keeping wet and around your neck?” Wyatt asked.
Everyone held up their colored piece of cloth.
“You may need to use those to tie around your mouths and noses as well,” Chase added. “The aftermath of an urban disaster isn’t pretty. You should be prepared for the stench of rot and decay and of course, human waste. There may also be a lot of cement dust and debris in the air if buildings have come down. Be prepared for anything.”
“Good. First aid kits, emergency blanket, matches, hand sanitizer, compass and everyone has a knife, right?” Wyatt asked. “I assume everyone took a handful of those plastic grocery bags as well?”
There were nods all around the group as everyone went about packing their bags.
“The bags are for what?” Rosie asked.
“They can be used a lot of different ways. If we have to go through a wet area, we can wrap them around our shoes to help keep our feet dry. We can use them to waterproof our gear or if we get desperate, we can use them for water transpiration,” Wyatt explained.
“You don't think you’ll find water?” Rosie asked with concern.
Wyatt shrugged. “I don't know. I hope we can, but I always like to be prepared for anything. The bags weigh nothing and smash down small enough they aren't going to take up much room in our packs. Plus, I like to use one of these bags to make a fluffy pillow,” he said with a smile.
Megan nodded. “Yep, he stuffs the bags with leaves, grass and whatever else he can find. It actually works really well once you put a shirt or something over the bag.”
Rosie smiled. “I will trust the experts.”
Brenda was walking around the room, casually inspecting everyone's bags. “Don't forget extra socks. Your feet are going to be sweaty. Sweaty feet leads to blisters, which can make walking difficult and you risk an infection,” she instructed.
Megan ran back into the bedroom and collected extra socks for her and Wyatt. Bryan and Evan had already thought of that one.
“I’m so glad I have your expertise to help me,” Megan said to Brenda and Chase. “I’d be in big trouble after the first day!”
Chase smiled. “It's always better to plan for the worst and hope for the best. Survival in the heat of the summer is a little different from winter survival. Each has its own challenges. Since we’ve been through it before, we can tell you what works best. You don't have to learn the hard way,” he joked.
“That's always my preference for learning new skills,” Megan laughed.
“Okay, so, are we packed and ready?” Willow asked, coming down the stairs with JJ in her arms. A bag was slung over her shoulder.
Megan nearly laughed at the sight. Willow looked as if she were ready to go to the mall with her diaper bag packed and her baby in her arms. She had on a pretty pink button-down shirt that would certainly make nursing little JJ easier, but it wasn't exactly an outfit one would wear on a dangerous mission.
Brenda opened her mouth, but Chase quickly quieted her by putting a hand on her elbow.
“We’re ready, but first we need to distribute the contents of your diaper bag between us,” Wyatt said with a gentleness in his voice. Willow looked so proud to have packed for herself and the baby.
“Oh, I guess I didn't think of actually carrying this thing the entire way,” she said, removing the bag from her shoulder and handing it to Wyatt.
Chase looked at Wyatt, widened his eyes to convey there was another issue that needed to be addressed.
Wyatt sighed. “Um, Willow, you look very nice, but we’re going into a situation where we want to blend in with the environment. Do you have any darker colored clothing? I think Megan has extra khaki pants if you don't?”
Willow looked down at what she was wearing. She was quiet for a few seconds. Megan held her breath. No woman appreciated being criticized for an outfit. Willow looked beautiful and had clearly spent some time putting the pink shirt and white capris together, but it wasn’t going to work. She did have on tennis shoes, which would normally be okay, but not for this mission.
She looked up at Wyatt and smiled. “And now you know why I don't go on these little adventures. Of course, I can change. She looked at Megan studying her clothing before taking JJ back upstairs to change.
Wyatt exhaled before carefully going through the bag, leaving things like toys and outfit changes out. Megan watched, but didn't say anything. She knew he was trying to keep the load as light as possible. The package of disposable diapers they’d managed to loot some time ago was finally goi
ng to be used. Willow had been using cloth diapers, but once they hit the road, the disposables would be the best choice. Wyatt distributed the diapers into each of the packs, doing his best to keep the loads balanced.
Duke stood nearby, watching them with curiosity. He was probably wondering when they were leaving. The big shepherd had been on a few supply runs and had proven useful, but this wasn’t a journey he’d be making. There were too many risk factors.
“Sorry, boy,” Megan said, rubbing the dog behind the ears. “You have to stay home this time. I trust you to keep a close eye on the kids.”
Duke's tongue lolled and he thumped his tail a few times. Megan would miss the big, furry beast, but knew it wasn't safe to take the dog along. He’d be better off here as an extra set of eyes and ears in case a stranger approached the lodge.
“Here's the baby carrier,” Tara said, handing the Ergo carrier they’d picked up on a run to Rosie. “She’ll need some help getting it on. I loved the one I had, but it took me a while to figure out how to strap into it myself.”
Willow returned a few minutes later, looking like a mirror image of Megan and Brenda. She’d lost the minimal amount of pregnancy weight she’d gained and was back to her typical slender frame. Her hair was pulled back in the usual messy bun.
“Better?” she asked.
“Yes,” Wyatt replied. “Sorry, I wanted to make sure you were comfortable, your skin protected and you don't stand out once we get to the city,” he explained.
“It's fine. You’re right. I don't know what I was thinking,” she said.
Willow handed JJ to Megan and stood in front of Rosie who seemed to be struggling with the baby carrier.
Tara smiled before stepping in to show them both how to use it. “It's tricky at first, but you'll get it. I think JJ is going to love this. I used to carry Amy in one of these all the time. She was a fussy baby and the only way I could get her to sleep was to walk around with her. This freed up my hands so I could actually get stuff done!”
Megan smiled at the memory of Caitlin being the same way. She’d used one of the Moby wraps and had loved it. The Moby they’d found months before JJ arrived had only been used a handful of times. It wasn't suitable for this particular journey, which meant the carrier was the best choice. It also would allow them each to take turns carrying the baby, even though he was far lighter than any of the packs.
“Okay, I think we got it,” Tara said, giving the strap one last tug to tighten it.
Megan handed JJ to Willow who carefully tucked him away in the carrier. She kissed him on the head before putting his cotton hat on.
“We're ready for our first big adventure,” Willow declared.
Megan smiled. Willow had a little more pep in her step. She had a purpose and Megan was convinced the idea of finding a solution to JJ's medical problems was the reason behind her newfound enthusiasm. Megan was happy for Willow. This would help her grow as a person while boosting her confidence—something that was seriously needed.
Caitlin came downstairs, rubbing her eyes. Ryland was right behind her. Megan could hear Willow talking to the young boy in hushed tones. Her eyes drifted to Neil, who managed to stagger over to Wyatt.
“Thank you for doing this. I only wish I could be the one delivering this box,” he said, handing the small metal box to Wyatt.
Wyatt took it and handed it to Evan who tucked it into his pack. “We'll make sure it reaches the NRU in time,” Wyatt said. He looked to Chase then back at Neil. “You better go rest. Chase will be here if you need anything.”
The last was said with a hint of a threat. Megan knew Wyatt was uneasy leaving a stranger in the lodge. She was too, but they also knew every one of the people staying behind wouldn’t hesitate to kill the man if he did anything that jeopardized them. Each was committed to keeping one another safe no matter the cost.
“Take care,” Wyatt said to the group staying behind.
There was a lot of waving and words of encouragement as the small group headed out the door. Megan prayed they were successful. Her own peace of mind depended on her getting JJ the help he needed. She needed to feel confident Rosie, Chase and the rest of the group could take care of things at the lodge and most importantly, keep Caitlin safe. She had to devote every ounce of energy to this mission. There was a lot riding on their success.
11
The small group set out at an easy pace. This was Willow's first trip away from the lodge since arriving more than a year ago. She wouldn't be used to walking through the forest. It was important to take it slow and allow her to navigate the uneven terrain to prevent injury. She was carrying precious cargo after all.
“You have a route planned out?” Evan asked. “I think I’ve been to Ravena once and I remember it was huge. How are we going to navigate the streets? I mean, what if there aren't any street signs left? We could end up very lost, which would put us in a very precarious position.”
Wyatt pulled out a map and tapped it a couple times. “Yes, I worked with Neil for a bit last night. This is the route he was supposed to take with his team. There are small red dots on the areas where there are known gangs holding the territories. Even if there aren't marked streets, we can still navigate the area based on landmarks.”
Megan groaned. “I can't imagine how we’re going to get through all that,” she said waving her hand at the map filled with hundreds of roads. “They know the area and we don't. I don't understand why anyone would’ve stayed in the city.”
Wyatt shrugged. “From what Neil said, it’s still heavily populated. Many folks stuck with what they knew. There aren't going to be as many people as there were before the EMP, but the ones that couldn't get out, would be forced to band together. That's where the gangs come in.”
“Where are they getting water and food?” she asked, trying to wrap her head around the idea.
Wyatt shrugged. “I don't know. I guess they had plenty to loot in the beginning. The idea of being surrounded by easy resources probably appealed to some. Plus, most of those living in the city don’t have the first clue about surviving in the wilderness. They wouldn't be able to hunt, build a fire or survive the winter. They picked the lesser of two evils is my guess.”
Megan felt terrible for the people who didn't have the basic skills needed to survive without things like grocery stores and running water. She imagined those who’d fled the city, not having basic survival skills, would’ve died that first winter. Once everything did get back online, she suspected the casualties from the EMP would be in the millions.
Another thought sprang to mind. “They’re going to be desperate. How are we going to get through the streets without them attacking us?”
“I know it's hard to imagine, but even the most normal people before the EMP will have changed to survive. These won’t be the stereotypical gangs from before the EMP; these people were once doctors, lawyers, teachers and so on,” Bryan chimed in.
Wyatt answered her question. “We get through with fancy footwork, traveling in the wee hours of the morning, and luck.”
“What do you mean wee hours of the morning?” Willow asked. “Wouldn't that be more dangerous?”
Wyatt shook his head. “I think you were still upstairs when we talked about it but there are two things going against us—the heat of summer and the gangs—and both are dangerous to us. Our safest option is to travel when the city is asleep, which means resting during the hottest parts of the day and traveling at night,” he explained.
“Hopefully, it works,” Megan said, not entirely sure that was the best plan. It was years of conditioning, she supposed. Traveling city streets at night was risky, but in this new way of life, it may well be the safest way. She had to laugh at the irony.
“They were traveling in a convoy, so the route is along roadways. We’ll change up based on what we come across but I think it’ll be a lot easier for us to blend in and go unnoticed than it would’ve been for them,” Wyatt explained. “Neil also marked a backup route should we
be unable to stick to the original plan.”
“Good, I like a way out, in case things don't go as planned. Things never go the way we plan,” Evan grumbled.
Megan chuckled. “But look how much better we are at thinking on our feet? I’m not looking forward to encountering an angry mob. Do you think they’ll attack us? I mean we’re a small group. Two women and a baby, how threatening could we be?”
Willow looked down at JJ sleeping against her chest in the carrier. “I won't let anyone near my baby,” she said in a quiet voice laced with menace.
“And we won't let anyone try,” Wyatt said with conviction.
“Is this NRU going to be guarded?” Bryan asked.
“I would imagine so even if it isn’t obvious. Neil gave me the code word, which should gain us entry. If not, we'll flash the box. That should get someone's attention,” Wyatt replied.
They walked down the mountain in silence. Megan thought about the people in the city and wondered how they’d managed to survive this long if they couldn’t grow food. What were they doing for toilets? The thought sent a shiver down her spine as she imagined the sewage problem. She thought back to the old days when raw sewage was dumped into the streets of London and other large cities. She prayed Ravena hadn't reverted to such primitive ways.
“Oh,” Wyatt said, holding up the map. “Neil also marked areas where there are buried caches of supplies. Hopefully, we won't need to dig up any of those on the way there, but on the way back, our supplies may be low. Those caches will provide the necessities until we get home. It’d probably be a good idea to bury some of our supplies to lighten our load a bit and if we do get robbed, we’ll have what we need to make the journey home.”
JJ made a grunting noise, which brought them all to a stop. Concern was written all over their faces.
Willow looked up and smiled. “He was getting comfortable. He's fine.”
Megan breathed a sigh of relief. They knew it was risky bringing the baby on the trip, but the thought of a real hospital with real doctors was driving them on. They had to get JJ there.
EMP Lodge Series Box Set | Books 1-6 Page 85
