EMP 1500 MILES FROM HOME

by Mike Whitworth

  I said, "uh," verbal articulation not being my strong point at the moment.

  "Don't worry Wayne. I am not trying to take you away from your wife. But it is a long road home for you, and I could make it a little easier if you want."

  Responding more articulately this time, I said, "uh."

  "I see," Julie smiled. "Well, we can discuss this later if you like."

  My next, "uh," seemed to satisfy her.

  A few minutes later we were wolfing down tamales from the pot. We were both still hungry when they were gone. I got up and started going through the saddlebags. Julie laid out the tarp. We found the saddlebags were full of food, mostly beans and flour. There was also some salt and pepper.

  "Ah, bean burritos in the making," Julie smiled.

  "Do you know how to make those?"

  "You bet I do. I will put some of the beans on to soak overnight. Tomorrow we will have some burritos. You find me a smooth, flat rock, and I'll make us some tortillas for tonight.

  I went to look for a flat rock that would fit over the fire pit. It took me about ten minutes. When I returned, Julie had the stuff from the saddlebags laid out on the tarp. She took the stone from me, grabbed a sack of flour, and went to the fire.

  I looked over the stuff on the tarp. I saw the 30-30 rifles, two ten pound sacks of beans, two ten pound sacks of flour, three boxes of shells for the 30-30s, a small steel frying pan, a couple of boxes of strike anywhere matches, two two-quart canteens, a few packs of cigarettes, a hip flask filled with what smelled like whiskey, a worn sharpening stone, the 38 special Colt revolver, the loose shells for it, the belt knife (the switchblade was still in my pocket), and a few eating utensils.

  Overall, it wasn't a lot of stuff, but it made me feel rich. The horses would speed the journey, and the food and canteens were needed, as were the matches.

  I sat down with the sharpening stone and sharpened the old butcher knife. It took me a while since the stone was medium-fine grit. The old knife wasn't shaving sharp when I was done, but it was much sharper than I was able to get it with the desert stone. As I was putting the sharpening stone down, Julie called me back to the fire. She had a large pile of hot tortillas stacked on a rock by the fire. I saw where she had propped the flat rock over the fire on some smaller stones. I assumed she had cooked the tortillas on the flat rock.

  I sat down beside her and we gobbled the warm tortillas as if we had not eaten for days. We ate them all. It was the first time I had a full belly since breakfast on the day the world ended.

  After supper, we sat close and quietly discussed what to do next.

  Having horses made us a target because most of the people we would encounter would want them, and many would be willing to kill for them. It was now a very violent world. Cap said it would be, but I never really believed him before.

  Without Cap’s training, I would be dead. I never thought I would be able to shoot and kill a man, let alone five. It really was a different world now, and I was afraid I was becoming a different person. I would like to think a better person, but, at the moment, I wasn't sure. It had been so easy to slip into this new, uncivilized way of life, even though I was longing to be home with Lucy and Ben. Instead, I was camped out in the New Mexico desert, armed to the teeth, partnered with an attractive woman I had never met before.

  "We need to follow Highway 60 east," Julie said. "That will take us to Mountainair and close to Dad's ranch."

  "How far from Mountainair is the ranch?"

  "Twelve miles," Julie said.

  "We will need to travel off the road as much as possible."

  "For the most part, we can do that, but Highway 60 climbs the mountains and in the area of the pass that will be difficult. Wayne, please don't misunderstand me. I like you a lot, but sometimes I really wish for everything to go back to normal, even though I know it won't."

  "So do I Julie," I said. "So do I."

  Julie turned, put her head against me, and cried softly. I held her until she sat back, rubbed her eyes, and said, "It isn't going back to the way it was, is it, no matter how much I hope?"

  "No Julie, it isn't. I think it may well get worse before it gets better."

  "We planned for a while after that. We spent time deciding how we would handle different situations if we encountered them. We also began to develop our own sign language so we could communicate quietly without anyone knowing.

  I took first watch. Julie rolled up in her blanket and seemed to sleep more soundly than usual. I could hear the horses moving quietly nearby. I listened carefully to them in case they heard something I did not.

  Julie

  When Wayne woke me for my watch, the stars were crisp points of light in the cloudless sky. He rolled up in his blanket, which was too small for him, and soon was sound asleep. I put my blanket over him. I do that every night after he is asleep and take it off just before daylight so he won't know. I don't know why I don’t want him to know.

  I remembered watching Wayne in the stock tank and thinking how attractive he is. Of course, all thought of that vanished when I saw the two men on horseback.

  And when I kissed him, he kissed me back even though I could tell he was reluctant to do so. I should be mad at him for turning me down, but I’m not. He is a married man trying to be faithful to his wife, 1,500 miles away. I knew he was attracted to me, although, until the kiss, I wasn't sure he realized that I was attracted to him. Men can be so stupid sometimes.

  But what really surprised me was the fact that I had taken my clothes off in front of him and later kissed him—a married man. That is not like me. I have never been, and never wanted to be, the other woman. In fact most people, boyfriends included, would call me shy. There is just something about Wayne, an ease I feel in his company. Maybe it is The Knowing? In any event I am different with Wayne. I have more confidence and I feel safer—if anyone could feel safe right now.

  Wayne

  The night passed without incident and the sun rose in the morning as always. Soon we were on our way. The sand was thick, so we led the horses. When the ground firmed up, we alternately rode and walked. By afternoon we could see Highway 60 off to the east past the interstate.

  "There are only a few houses close to the interstate and Highway 60. I think we might be able to just ride through, if we are careful."

  "Unless some bad guys have a car or truck," I said. "With that they could easily outrun us."

  "In daylight, they could pick us off with a rifle," Julie said.

  "How about we ride through very quietly at first light?"

  That sounds like as good a plan as any."

  So that is what we did, and it worked. We didn't see a soul. By good light we were riding east across the flat desert toward the mountains about 18 miles away. They looked to be much closer, but Julie's paper atlas said not.

  We had gone about five miles when I saw something in the road ahead. At first I couldn't tell what it was so I looked through the binoculars. "It is a man walking. He is pulling a cart of some sort."

  "Is he armed?” Julie asked.

  "I don't think so—at least not with a rifle." I passed Julie the binoculars. She looked for a bit and nodded her head.

  We were catching up to the man, who was moving quite slowly. As we got closer we saw he was pulling a big handcart behind him. When we were about 200 yards away I shouted, "Hello."

  I don't think the man even knew we were there. He was startled and dropped the handles of the cart and turned to face us. He was very obese and apparently unarmed. He held his hands in the air as we approached.

  "I said, "You can put your hands down, if you wish. We don't want to shoot you."

  "Since you are both have guns, I guess you could shoot me if you wanted to. It might be better for me if you did."

  "Why do you say that?" I asked, suddenly realizing that this was just a boy, not yet a man.

  "Are you blind? Look at me, I weigh 410 pounds and I am trying to cross a desert on foot. How likely do you think
it is that I will make it out of this alive anyway?"

  "I think you have a pretty good chance," I said. "I don't know anyone else of your weight, and not very many people of normal weight, who could do what you are doing."

  "Would you guys like something to eat?" the boy asked. "I am about ready to stop and cook some breakfast."

  "That sound's good," I said. I motioned to Julie and she stood in her stirrups and scanned the horizon in all directions with the binoculars. It was flat here and she could see for a long way.

  Julie took my horse and hobbled both horses where there were a few blades of grass. She also gave each horse a drink of water.

  I walked up to the boy and we shook hands. We looked each other nearly eye to eye. He was very tall, and, in spite of the weight he carried, slightly smaller-boned than I am. My hand covered his like an oven mitt. I glanced down. His feet were smaller than mine. I laughed to myself. He was lucky. He could find shoes that might even fit. Well, until he reached full size anyway. I suspected he was still growing.

  After a while we were gathered around a campfire while bacon fried in a pan. It smelled good. The boy sat on a chair he took from the cart. He apologized for not having chairs for us.

  "I need a chair," he said. "I have difficulty getting up from the ground."

  "I understand," Julie said. "My aunt has arthritis and can't do that either."

  "What is your name?" I asked. The boy hesitated. "Make one up if you like, I just want to know what to call you."

  "Oh, OK," He said. "My name is Fowler Yett, but folks mostly call me Yeti."

  "How old are you?"

  "I am 15."

  "What do you want us to call you?"

  "Yeti is OK. I am used to it."

  "My name is Wayne Zane."

  Yeti smiled. "No shit. Then maybe you do understand a bit."

  "Hi, I am Julie Hoffman."

  Yeti shook her hand. "Pleased to meet you Ma'am."

  "Where are you headed?" I asked Yeti.

  "East, just east where there might be more water."

  "Do you have family in the East?"

  "I have a brother somewhere, but our parents are dead. They passed away when we were kids. My brother is a year older than me."

  "Who raised you boys?" Julie asked.

  Yeti hung his head. "Our Aunt took my brother, but they sent me to child services when our mother died and I ended up in a series of orphanages. No one ever wanted to adopt me."

  "Your aunt couldn't take you both?" Julie asked.

  Yeti hung his head even further. "She didn't want me. She said I was too big and fat."

  Julie glanced at me. I nodded.

  "Yeti, look at me," Julie said.

  Yeti raised his head. "Yes Ma'am."

  "We want you. Will you join up with us?"

  "Why would you want me?"

  "We need someone else to stand watch," I said. "There is strength in numbers."

  "I will just slow you down," Yeti said.

  "We don't travel very fast anyway, Yeti," I said.

  "OK," Yeti answered, "but if I get in the way or slow you down, just leave. I'll understand."

  "We don't leave anyone behind—ever. That is the first rule of our company. Now shake on it. Yeti extended his hand, and Julie and I both shook it. Yeti was crying, but tried to hide it.

  We finished breakfast, cleaned up, and put away our gear. "Is there some way we can hook a horse to the cart?" I asked Julie.

  Yeti fished around on the floor of the cart and came up with some long leather straps. "Is that what these things are for?" he asked.

  "You bet." Julie dug about in the cart and came up with some more straps and such. Soon she had the cart hitched to one of the horses. She and Yeti put the saddle and other gear from the horse into the cart. Then we started east.

  Julie rode with binoculars in hand and I walked with Yeti. He could only go about a mile before he had to rest for a few minutes, but he was game and kept trying. With all the walking coming up, I thought Yeti would lose weight and get stronger as we went. It was late September and I knew we would have to hole up somewhere for the winter anyway. There would be time enough for Yeti to get into better shape before spring.

  I quietly laughed at myself. I never understood why Cap took me in hand, and I wasn't sure why we were taking Yeti on. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Somehow, I knew I would never regret it, just like I had known that Lucy would be my wife the first time I saw her.

  As we walked, we talked. Well I talked and Yeti grunted. He didn't have enough wind to talk while we were walking.

  "Do you know how to use a gun?" I asked.

  Yeti grunted and shook his head no.

  "Well, I will teach you, no problem."

  We made another two miles before Yeti was worn out. Julie and I helped him into the cart. We made another four miles before we decided to set up a tarp for shade and stop for the night. It was only about 2:00 PM, but Yeti was sound asleep in the cart.

  Julie

  I rode ahead while Wayne walked with Yeti. Now I knew I was falling in love with Wayne. It was no longer just an attraction. I realized it the instant the look passed between us about Yeti and he nodded. I wondered what my dad would say about me falling in love with a married man? I didn't think he would approve, although I knew he would like Wayne. I also thought he would like Yeti, our adopted orphan. My dad has a big heart.

  From time to time I glanced back at Wayne and Yeti, my two giants. I smiled. Here it is the End of the World, as Wayne refers to it, and I am happy. I am happy because I am in love and I am happy because of Yeti, a child that desperately needs a mother and a father. I want to be his mother and, of course, I want Wayne to be his father, and my husband—yet I do not want to be the other woman. That is not my style and never has been. It is a problem for me, but the world has changed. There are no more laws, and Indiana is a long, long way from here. I know that I shouldn't stand between Wayne and his wife, but they say the heart wants what it wants, and my heart wants Wayne.

  Wayne

  The spot we chose for camp was just high enough to give us a slight vantage point. Through the binoculars, I could see some shacks and such to the north of the road about four miles east of us and another shack a little closer on the south side of the road. We would have to pass by them tomorrow. I studied the shacks through the binoculars. Twice the curtains in two different shacks moved behind the glass. There were people there.

  While I studied the shacks, Julie and Yeti set up the tarp as a lean-to against the cart. Julie watered and hobbled the horses where there was some grass. She spent the next hour gathering as much of the dry grass as she could find for the horses.

  Yeti drank some water and crawled under the lean-to. When I looked he was dead to the world. I was glad it was September. The nights were cool and the days weren't quite as hot as they had been in the summer. That would make it easier on Yeti, as well as the horses, Julie, and me. Soon Julie joined me.

  "Well Mom, how is our boy doing?"

  "Pretty good, considering, Dad." We both smiled.

  Julie looked me in the eye for a full minute. I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her face gave no clue.

  "What did you mean by company?" She finally asked.

  I explained my idea to her. She thought about it for a while and then started asking questions. She asked about a number of things I had not thought of. After I took first watch and she turned in, I had a lot to think about. The watch passed quickly and so did the night. Yeti slept soundly through the entire night.

  "You didn't ask me to stand watch," Yeti said as we led the horse pulling the cart at first light.

  "You aren't ready yet, Son."

  "But I am willing to help."

  "I know that," I said, putting my arm around his shoulders. I realized that in a couple of years, or less, this boy might be several inches, or more, taller than I was. It would be nice not to be the tallest man in the room.

  "I like it wh
en you call me son," Yeti said. "Since my mom and dad died, no one has ever done that." I just squeezed his shoulder a little harder and ignored the tears that were streaming down his face. He didn't mention them either.

  As we walked, I talked to Yeti like Cap talked to me. I started the process of passing on what Cap had taught me. Yeti soaked it up like a sponge. The time passed quickly. We were close to the shacks before we knew it. Yeti had only rested twice. He seemed to be getting stronger.

  I could see five people standing by the road waiting for us—three women and two men. Both men were armed with rifles, or shotguns, I couldn't tell yet, but they made no hostile moves. Julie dropped her horse back beside me. I signaled her to drop back and cover us. We still had not fully developed our hand signal system, but it was getting better.

  I left the others waiting about 150 yards away and walked up to the people. The Mosin was slung over my shoulder. I didn't make any threatening moves.

  "Hello Stranger," the bearded man said.

  "Howdy, yourself," I replied. He held out his hand and I shook it.

  "Do you know what has happened? We haven't seen or heard a single car on the highway in over a week now, and none of our cars will start."

  "Yes," I said, motioning the others forward with a signal from my foot. "It was an EMP."

  "What is that?" he asked.

  "How about we build a fire and you folks can join us for breakfast. Then I can explain everything."

  "OK," the man said. He turned to one of the women. "Becky, can you girls whip up a big breakfast for our guests."

  "You bet Bill." She motioned to the other two women and they headed for one of the shacks before I could say a word.

  "We have our own supplies. We don't want to use yours."

  "Don't worry. We have plenty. You folks come on along and we will set up some chairs and the big table under the shade tree."

  We followed. Once there, Julie and Yeti unhooked the horse from the cart and hobbled the horses so they could graze. Bill and the other man set up a large weathered dining room table and eight chairs under the shade of the tree. They also strung up a battered plastic tarp for additional shade. It was only about 60 degrees but the sun was warming everything quickly. Soon it would be over 80 degrees and the shade would be perfect.