by Lee West
“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up,” she said with a slight laugh.
They walked into the quiet, still garage. Nothing seemed to have been touched. The toys were all where he usually stored them, and none of the gardening tools had been moved. Mike thought that was odd since Sharon always gardened every day throughout the spring and summer.
“Let’s take our shoes off out here. We can leave the bags too and get them later,” said Mike.
They walked into the peaceful house as Mike shouted, “Sharon! Sharon! I’m home!”
No reply came.
He walked through the one-level home quickly, looking for his wife and kids. Thinking maybe she was napping, he slowly opened the bedroom door and peered in, saying, “Sharon?”
No one was home. The house sat vacant.
“What the hell?” he muttered to himself.
He walked back to the living room, where the others waited for him.
“No one is here. They’re gone. My family is gone,” he said, stunned. He rubbed a shaky hand through his hair and sat down to think.
“Maybe she went to a friend’s or family’s house?” offered Nancy.
“We mostly keep to ourselves. We don’t have friends that are close, nor do we have family near here. The closest family is hundreds of miles away. She wouldn’t have gone to them. Besides, both cars are in the garage. She wouldn’t have walked with the kids to them.”
“Maybe she left a note for you?” said Brett.
Mike jumped up from the large well-used brown reclining chair and darted to the kitchen. Sharon had a whiteboard hanging on the wall for them to leave notes on. She often used it to jot down simple reminders as well. He went to the board and read through the things written on it. It contained her usual mismatched assortment of ideas for songs, grocery lists and to-do items. She hadn’t left a note for him.
“Where could they have gone?” he said, sitting at the kitchen table.
They gathered in the bright and cheery kitchen. The sun dipped below the top of the trees, starting its evening descent. Mike loved to eat dinner in their cheery kitchen. The setting sun was the perfect backdrop to their cozy conversations. Now he could barely look outside without a strong feeling of panic for the safety of his family.
“Hey, man, listen. We’re all tired. How about if we get cleaned up, I’ll get some dinner together, and then we can come up with a plan? I’m sure everything will look clearer once we’ve eaten. Okay?” asked Frank.
Frank stood over him with his hand on Mike’s shoulder, a look of deep concern on his face. Mike knew Frank loved Sharon and the kids too, and trusted his advice.
“Alright, maybe something will come to me after a shower and some real food,” he said.
“You might not have any water,” said Nancy.
“We should be fine. The house has a well with a backup power source. It won’t last for long, but I’d imagine we’re still good,” said Mike tiredly.
Mike stripped out of his crusty clothes and got into the shower. Although cold, the fresh water felt amazing. As he soaped himself, tears ran down his cheeks and mixed with the water.
— 29 —
The friends gathered in the small living room, eating dinner off of paper plates. Frank had managed to scrounge together an assortment of ready-made food. Although everything had to be served at room temperature, it still tasted good. He thought everything about the house sitting empty was strange. It made no sense that Sharon would not be home. He hadn’t said anything to Mike, but the kitchen looked like they were still living there, maybe just in another room. A small half-drunk cup of milk sat next to a bowl of Goldfish. It was as though they’d just walked out in the middle of the day. He didn’t want to make Mike more nervous than he was about their well-being, but he too was very worried.
“Thanks for making this, Frank,” said Meg.
“Sure, cold baked beans, chips and apple slices are my specialty,” he said with a wink.
“You were smart to use up the produce. It’ll go bad fast without refrigeration. I’m surprised anything was still salvageable considering the smell from the fridge,” said Nancy.
The door to the fridge was closed. Without electricity, the meat, eggs and dairy products slowly rotted. When they had opened the door, a strong dead odor escaped. Frank had nearly shut the door and considered anything inside a total loss, until he saw the apples. Intent to help Mike and Sharon, he had cleared out the stale food and pulled anything usable from the dark fridge while Mike showered, giving the man one less thing to worry about.
Everyone seemed to be finished eating when Meg said, “I’ll do the dishes.” She grabbed each paper plate, cleaning the room.
Frank knew no one wanted to talk about their next step. He had the feeling that the group was in shell shock from Sharon not being home. Everyone, including him, had been counting on seeing Sharon. She would have provided information about what had happened. Without news, the friends didn’t know where to turn.
“You know what I was thinking?” said Brett out of the blue.
“What’s that, hon?” replied Nancy.
“Not only is Sharon not here, but we didn’t see anyone the entire walk here from the boat. Not a single person. Don’t you think that’s odd?”
“You’re right. I noticed it too but chalked it up to everyone being on their own,” said Joe.
“I just thought those were less populated areas we walked through,” said Nancy.
“You’re probably both right, but not seeing a soul, as in no one for the entire time? It’s just odd to me,” he said.
“I think we should go into town, see what’s happening there. We’re out in the country. We might not have crossed anyone even if things were normal. If we go into Stevensville, we’ll see more people and can get a better handle on things,” said Frank.
“They use the stadium as a temporary shelter during hurricanes. Maybe Sharon and the kids went there?” offered Meg.
For the first time since they walked into the still house, Frank saw a glimmer of hope in Mike’s eyes.
“That’s an excellent idea! All right. Tomorrow, we go into Stevensville,” said Mike with renewed energy.
“We live right downtown. You guys are welcome to stay the night with us. By the time we get there, it’ll probably be getting dark. You won’t want to head back out,” said Joe.
“How long do you think it’ll take to get there, Mike?” asked Brett.
“Given that it took us nearly five hours to get here from the cove, I’d say about seven to eight hours,” he said.
“Wow, that stinks,” said Frank.
Frank was never a man who sought health in any way. He ate what he wanted, drank way too much Jack, and rarely, if ever, exercised. An eight-hour hike in the heat might just kill him, he thought as he rubbed his ample belly.
— 30 —
Joe and Meg led the group out of the country and into Stevensville. Stevensville was a midsized town, which Joe loved. They had everything they needed right at their fingertips without all of the big-city stresses. He wanted to stay in the downtown area for as long as Meg would allow it. He knew once they started having kids, Meg would want to do what most people did and move out of the city in search of grassy yards, sidewalks for tricycles, and good schools.
“How are you holding up?” he said to Meg.
“I’m okay. Just wish I had a bigger hat. The sun is killing me,” she said.
Joe had lent Meg his ball cap for the hike. Although he would have liked the shade, he knew she’d be wrecked if she had to walk all this way in the blazing sun without any shade relief.
“Looks like we’re nearly there!” Brett pointed.
The city’s meager skyline sat within their view. Soon, they’d be walking into the surrounding neighborhoods of the city limits.
“I’m concerned about what we might see when we get into the city. Maybe we should try to conceal our presence?” offered Nancy.
“I don’t know, Nanc, we
haven’t seen anyone yet. At this point, I want to run into some people,” said Brett.
They stopped for a moment, taking a break in a shady spot. Joe stood looking at the skyline then turned and said, “I have an idea. Why don’t we walk to the west side of the city? We can then cut through Mass Ave and get to our place from the back side. It won’t add too much time, but will keep us clear of the most heavily populated areas.”
“That’s not a bad idea. As long as it doesn’t take too much more time. I’ve about had it with all this walking. I’m not used to moving this much,” said Frank.
Frank sat with his head hung between his knees. He required so many breaks that Joe began to worry they’d have to administer CPR to the man. However, somehow, red faced and huffing, he managed to put one foot in front of the other.
“I think it’s an excellent idea. At least we won’t be cutting right through the city. I’m concerned about our safety in a highly populated area. Things could have spiraled out of control,” said Nancy.
“Your point is well taken. There’s an element to our society that’s always seeking an opportunity, even if it means hurting fellow citizens,” said Brett.
“I’m just glad we’re here and not somewhere like L.A. or Manhattan. Things are probably way worse in those areas,” said Mike.
“No kidding. I can’t even imagine the insanity those people are dealing with,” said Nancy.
“I’ve been thinking about it and you’re probably right. Sharon and the kids must’ve relocated to a shelter. It’s the only thing that makes sense,” said Mike to Meg.
“That’s what I’m thinking too. Maybe the community pulled together and gave each other rides or something?” said Meg.
Joe knew she was trying her best to make Mike feel better. The usually chipper man had become a shell of himself since discovering his family was missing. None of them knew what had happened or how to help him. Joe quietly wondered if Sharon had left Mike for another man. It would explain why she and the kids were gone. He knew Meg was wondering the same thing. For Mike’s sake, he hoped that getting to the city would provide some answers.
“How far away is the stadium from your home?” asked Mike.
“It’s just down the street. Actually, if you want, we could stop there first,” said Meg.
“That’d be great! I can hardly wait to see them.”
The group cut into the outer limits of the city. Everything sat still. No cars moved; no people were walking on the streets. The lack of people, noise and movement on the streets gave Joe the creeps. He wanted to get home quick, safe inside their apartment. Something about the quiet deeply unnerved him. He began to feel as though thousands of eyes were watching them, ready to pounce when they least expected it.
“Where is everyone? The place is a ghost town. This makes no sense,” said Frank.
They continued to wind their way through city block after block, making slow progress to the stadium. Once the stadium was in sight, Mike ran to it. He approached the main entrance’s bank of glass doors. Yanking on the first one, it didn’t budge. He quickly moved to the second and then the third. All were locked. Mike pounded on the doors, yelling for Sharon. Finally, Frank came to his side and said softly, “She’s not here. No one is here. We need to go, buddy.”
Tears welled in Mike’s eyes. He seemed to weigh his options but then turned and allowed Frank to move him away from the stadium.
“Come on. Let’s get inside. This is creepy. I don’t feel safe standing out here anymore,” said Meg.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” said Nancy, glancing around.
As they started to walk the few blocks to the apartment, a door to a brownstone opened and a man emerged. He yelled, “Nancy! Nancy! Over here!” He vigorously waved his arms, trying to get their attention.
“Marvin? Holy shit!” said Nancy as she ran across the street to her friend.
The group followed her lead, anxious to hear an account of what had occurred while they were at sea.
“Marvin! What’re you doing here?” she asked.
“I live here. This is my brownstone. Come on, get inside quick!” he said while he motioned for them to enter.
The large, narrow three-story brownstone was dark on the inside, and Joe’s eyes required a moment to adjust to the interior gloom. The air in the man’s place was stale as though he hadn’t opened the windows in days. It also reeked of the same stale air as had escaped from Mike’s refrigerator.
“I didn’t know you live out here,” said Nancy. Turning to the group, she made the introductions and then added, “Marvin and I have been at the university for years.”
“Pretty much holding down the entire sociology department,” he said with a wink.
“Where is everyone? What happened here?” interrupted Mike.
“Where have you been? Wait a minute, weren’t you on vacation?” he asked Brett and Nancy.
“We were and just came back last evening. What’s going on here?” she asked.
“I don’t know how much I can tell you, because I really don’t know what’s real at this point versus the lies we’ve been told. All I know for sure is that something killed all of the power and fried the electronics. I’m guessing the reports of a high-altitude nuclear device followed by an EMP are correct.”
“We think we saw the detonation while at sea. We were watching the meteorite shower when it happened,” said Brett.
“Exactly, that’s when it occurred.”
“But where is everyone?” asked Frank impatiently.
“That’s the thing. Right after the event, everything went to hell. There was looting, gunshots being fired at night, and random fires burning buildings and cars. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever lived through. The next day, the feds come rolling into town with armored vehicles and those huge transport caravan trucks. They started clearing the city.”
“Holy shit! Clearing the city?” said Nancy.
“Why? What do you mean? Why not leave everyone where they are?” asked Joe.
“They said it was for our safety. They said the country is under attack and they needed to get us to safety. Everyone was put into those trucks and taken away. They were moving caravans around the clock. Just loading people up and taking them away.”
“Sounds like they were ready for this to happen,” said Nancy suspiciously.
“That’s what I was thinking. They were a little too ready, if you ask me. That’s why I hid and didn’t go. I found it a little too convenient that their vehicles and electronics work but no one else’s survived the event. The whole thing reeks of some sort of government-manufactured disaster,” said Marvin.
“Where did they take them? The people? Where did they take them?” asked Mike, his voice cracking.
“I’m not sure. All I know is that somehow our government, which can’t seem to get out of its own way on most days, somehow managed to mobilize a quick ‘rescue’ of the citizens right after an unexpected devastating event. The whole thing makes no sense.”
“I agree. I think you did the right thing. There’s no way I would’ve gotten into one of those trucks either,” said Nancy.
“I can’t just sit here! I need to go find my family!” said Mike, getting up abruptly.
“Wait! You can’t go out there! They patrol every day picking up stragglers. I think they’ve been going door to door.”
“Perfect! Then I’ll be taken to Sharon and the kids. That’s all I care about right now!” said Mike.
“Hold on, Mike, you need to think this through. Sharon and the kids could’ve been taken anywhere. If you’re picked up, who knows what’ll happen. You’re better off being on the outside and learning more about what happened before jumping in. You won’t be able to help her if you’re being shuffled around by them instead of calling your own shots,” said Brett.
“I completely agree. I wouldn’t trust them at all,” said Marvin.
“They’re right. Let’s try to get more information before w
e allow them to load us on one of those personnel carriers. I’d like to know what we’re getting into before being taken away,” said Frank.
Mike looked stricken. The obvious stress and worry for his family were weighing him down, forcing him to make reckless decisions.
“You’re all welcome to stay here for as long as you need to,” said Marvin.
“Tomorrow, we planned to go to our house. It’s in Fischers at the base of the mountains. Why don’t you come with us?”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ve been fine right here.”
“I agree, but for how long will you be fine?” said Nancy.
“We have plenty of space and might be safer out there than in the city,” said Brett. “Come with us. There’s safety in numbers.”
“You might be right about that. Alright, I’ll do it. It will be nice to have the company. How about if we leave in the morning? It isn’t safe to be out at night.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’m glad you’re coming with us,” said Nancy.
“Me too. Let’s get you guys fed and settled in for the night. Brett, can you help get the curtains with me? You need to pull them shut and then use the clips to hold the sides together,” said Marvin as he approached a bank of windows.
“Why so tight? And what do you mean it isn’t safe to be out at night? I was thinking we’d be better off walking in the dark,” said Frank.
“Patrol trucks make regular rounds during the night. As of the last few days, they’ve been shining lights on the building facades. I know they’re looking for holdouts, and I don’t plan to get caught up in whatever they’re doing.”
“What happens if they find people?” asked Brett.
Marvin looked down uncomfortably and wrung his hands. “I don’t know exactly, but I’ve heard the screaming.”
A shiver went through the small group of survivors. No one spoke for quite a while after his comment, each lost in terrifying thoughts of what had become of their fellow citizens.
Later that evening, Meg and Joe changed into fresh clothes and got ready for bed. The brownstone was pitch black, making retiring for the evening the obvious choice of activities. Marvin had given them a pullout couch in the den to sleep on. It was lumpy and old, but welcome for Joe’s sore body. The heat, lack of water and long walk had exhausted him more than he realized. Finally lying down with Meg, he felt exactly how exhausted he was.