Mr. Resnik is right. If we want to live, we have to keep going, and we would have to leave him behind. I’m not going to do it though. It’s not the humane thing to do. I wouldn’t leave my mother if she were alive and in the same scenario.
With my mind completely scrambled, I pick up the bowl of oatmeal and take it to the kitchen. I rinse out the contents into the sink.
“Hey,” Gabe says as he walks in from the deck. “Did he eat his food?”
“No.”
“He has to eat to keep his energy up.”
“I already tossed his food down the sink,” I reply, showing the empty bowl. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem. I can always fix more. Let me go check in on him.” Gabe gives me a quick kiss before heading towards his father’s bedroom.
I go outside on the deck to get a view of the day. There isn’t much to see. Pine trees at the back of the yard are tall, only permitting a limited view of the sky and zero visibility into the property on the other side. I have no idea how Michael and Gabe think they’re keeping watch for alien spaceships.
I jog down the steps and stroll around to the front of the house. From the middle of the sidewalk, in front of the honey locust tree, I have an unhindered view of the street. Homes appear to be empty, but I have a feeling people are inside. Birds aren’t singing. Dogs aren’t barking. I don’t see domesticated or feral cats anywhere. Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen any furry animals, other than rats. I wonder if the aliens were turning them to dust. That would be so sad, absolutely horrible. The idea is too much. I shake off those insane possibilities and continue my walk to the end of the street.
The entire area is so quiet. This is not normal at all, and I hate this change. Anyone that’s still alive is afraid. Those who are making it hunker down and pray for longevity. Just with one look at this weakening neighborhood, I can tell the end is close. In some way, all of us will suffer, and there’s no escaping it.
C H A P T E R
32
Michael parks himself on the curb next to me. He has a bowl of eggs and a cup of coffee. He’s bright-eyed and seemingly more relaxed than usual. Rest has suited him well.
“Good morning,” I say.
He sips coffee and lifts his cup as a reply.
“You’re selfish today.”
“Am I?”
“Only made yourself a cup of coffee.”
“There’s a kettle on the stove. You can help yourself.”
“I’ll get a cup later, maybe.”
“I hear you’re staying.” Michael is oddly calm, not that I thought it would be an all-out argument about my choice. I figured he wouldn’t take my decision lightly and would push for me not to stay.
“Yes, I am. Did Gabe tell you, or did you figure it out on your own?”
“Your boy told me last night.”
“Are you mad?”
“No, I get it. If that was Mom, there wouldn’t be a question what I would do.”
I’m relieved he understands. The last thing I want is Michael to leave angry. We wouldn’t be able to reconcile.
“Just so you’re aware. Your boy doesn’t have a plan, and he has no idea what’s coming his way.”
“Gabe and I will think of something.”
“Like what?” Michael laughs. “Do you have some secret weapon to stop the aliens?”
“Yeah, I sure do. It’s in my back pocket.”
“You know, we joke, but your decision is serious.”
“I know, but I was thinking that if you stay, we have a greater chance of surviving.”
“Look at where we are.” Michael gestures at the homes around us. “This isn’t a haven, Kris. It’s a death trap.”
I see what he sees, and Michael is right. These homes are no longer shelters. But I can’t turn my back on Gabe and his dad. I didn’t come all this way to walk away.
“You’ve seen and experienced the same things I have,” Michael continues. “You know there is no way to fight the aliens standing still. You have to run. Once they set their targets on this neighborhood, on this house, there will be no escaping. You, that old man, and your boy are going to die.”
“What choice do I have?”
“Mr. Resnik is not your father. You’re not married to Gabe. You two lived in totally different towns. Sometimes you saw each other on the weekends. Bottom line, there are no biological or marital ties that’s keeping you here.”
“Being a human being and helping the ones I love, that’s what keeps me here.”
“Being a human being also means you’re selfishly smart. When I leave today, and it won’t be long, you need to be with me.”
“And I thought we weren’t going to argue about this.”
“I’m not arguing. Stating the facts as is. But as I said before, coming from your boy’s point of view, I get why he won’t leave.”
“I wish there was a way Mr. Resnik could go. We wouldn’t be having this conversation. All of us would be getting ready or be on the road. Nothing is ever easy. Micha...”
A gunshot goes off. Michael and I stand up. His coffee cup tips over on the asphalt. At first, I think someone was trying to kill us. I check myself. Michael looks around. We’re not hurt. There aren’t any open windows. Where did the shot come from?
“KRIS!” Erika is at the door. She waves for me to come into the house.
I shrug my shoulders, not understanding.
“It’s Mr. Resnik!”
What in the world? I run directly to Mr. Resnik’s bedroom. I slide to a stop just inside the entrance. Mr. Resnik’s face is covered in blood. Gabe screams at his bedside. I’m horrified by all the blood that continues to pour from the wound on the left side of his temple. And the blood and brain matter on the wall is overwhelmingly horrendous.
Michael goes to the right side of the bed, opposite of where Gabe stands over his dad. He grabs something close to Mr. Resnik’s right hand. I can’t tell what it is. Gabe is too distracted to notice what Michael has taken. My brother rushes by me, going into the hallway and farther to the other side of the house. Something else is going on here, and Michael might be involved.
There’s no time to waste on my uncertainties. I have to help Gabe. I ask Erika to give us privacy, and I shut the door. I go to his side, hug him to let him know he’s not alone. We cry together, drowning in sorrow over this massive loss. He will never be the same, and I can only hope Gabe comes out of this in one piece.
C H A P T E R
33
Michael zips up his backpack, breaking the dull thump of Gabe’s footsteps. The sharp sound is telling. My brother is ready to leave. He can be so cruel. He knows Gabe is in pain, and he acts like he can’t take a moment to give a little respect.
“Kris.”
I refuse to answer. Michael is getting on my last nerve. I can’t deal with him and Gabe at the same time.
“Kris.”
“Now is not the time,” I snap at him.
“I’m leaving,” he says calmly. “I need to know what you’re going to do.”
“She’s going with you,” Gabe answers quickly.
Astonished, I look at him. I wasn’t expecting him to say anything.
“And so am I.”
I can’t believe it. I get that there’s no reason to stay now, but he’s making a rushed decision when he should be just sitting still and mourning.
“Is that what you want to do?” I ask him.
“Yes,” he says. “Big Mike, what should I grab?”
“If you got a backpack, pack smart, pack light. We’ve got a long way to go.”
“I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”
I follow Gabe to his bedroom. He checks under the bed, in the closet, and then suddenly stops searching altogether.
“Can we talk?” I ask him.
“I have to go to the garage. My backpack is in the backseat of my car. I think that’s where I left it, or it could be in the one outside.” He rushes out of the room and goes across th
e great room to the hall leading to the garage. I follow him.
“Gabe, are you sure you want to do this?”
He opens the car door and dumps out the belongings in the backpack onto the seat. He searches through the contents and throws some of the stuff back into his bag.
“Gabe, are you listening to me?”
“I should pack another pair of tennis shoes and a couple of clean socks.” He jogs out of the garage, back across the great room, and into his bedroom.
Michael watches us with boredom. Erika is on the sofa, flipping through a magazine.
“Krissy, I got water jugs in the kitchen under the sink. If you can fill those up, it’ll save some time.”
“We have to talk.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Yes, Gabe, we do.”
“Let me make this simple for you.” Gabe drops his backpack on the bed. “I don’t want to talk about my dad. I’m going to Pennsylvania, without a doubt. And, yes, I’m okay. Does that cover all the points you wanted to go over? Did I miss anything?”
I throw up my hands. He wins.
“There are containers under the sink.”
“Yes, I know. You told me to fill them up. I’m going.”
I go to the kitchen, fill up the canisters, and set them on the counter. From the dining room, I grab my sketchbooks and put them in my bag. Erika is sitting right beside it, kind of in the way, but I make quick work of getting my things situated.
Gabe comes out later with washed hands and a clean shirt. There’s still a hint of blood under his fingernails, but he doesn’t care. He raids the hamper, selectively picking out things that don’t need refrigeration or cooking. It doesn’t take long for Gabe to finish, and he zips up his backpack, ready to be on his way.
Michael and Erika move towards the front door. Gabe grabs the canisters off the counter, and we go outside. Gabe locks the knob and padlock. He goes into the flowerbed, lifts the fake rock and takes the extra key from underneath.
All of us start down the street. I stare at Gabe for any hint of emotion. He holds his head high, pretending that this moment doesn’t affect him.
At the beginning of the street, Gabe looks back at his home. The first day he bought it, he was proud. He could officially call himself a homeowner. Long hours and dedication sprouted that well-deserved award. And now, he walks away from it, like it’s nothing, a fad. It’s too weird, especially coming from a man who prides himself on his outstanding credit score. I don’t understand how he’s willing to drop everything and go. He didn’t want to bury his dad. He didn’t want to memorialize him, not even a moment of silence.
We get to Claiborne Parkway, which is only a few yards away from the street where Gabe lived. To our left are dark clouds, and it smells like rain is heading our way. Perhaps we’ve picked a bad time to start on our journey, but my doubts change when I see a Rod floating by. It’s dropping the Swarms about a mile or so away. In that direction is the toll road, and beyond that is Dulles, other small communities, and Highway 66.
“That’s new,” Gabe says.
“The Rod and the Swarm,” Michael replies. “They are what destroy buildings.”
Gabe watches as the dust rises from the area where the Swarm consumes. We move on, our backs to the hidden destruction.
The sky is clear up ahead, but that means nothing. We can easily run into the alien Cicadas or worse, the Seeds. I’m hoping we manage to avoid all of them.
Michael and Erika take the lead. Gabe and I follow them. I hold his hand, to see how he’ll react. He squeezes it in return and smiles at me. There’s sadness in those burnt browns of his.
“I’m sorry about your dad.”
“Thank you, Krissy. I appreciate that.”
“If you want to talk, you know, I’m here for you.”
“No, I’m good.”
“Maybe, if we would have buried him. You know, to give yourself closure.”
“We wouldn’t have had time. He’s in a good resting place.”
“In his bedroom?”
“Yes, he’s dead no matter where he rests.”
It makes no sense that he’s unaffected and disconnected.
“Gabe, it’s always good to talk about what’s bothering you.”
“Nothing is bothering me. I’m good.” Annoyed, he releases my hand and walks a little faster. He calls Erika, leaving me behind.
What in the hell just happened? I’m confused by his reaction.
I trail all three, wondering if I’m entirely missing something with Gabe. Or am I too pushy when he needs me to relax? I have no idea what to do or what to say anymore, so I keep my mouth shut.
C H A P T E R
34
Leesburg, Virginia
On the first leg of the journey, Gabe finds Erika’s conversation to be entertaining. He hangs onto her every word. He answers her questions and vice versa. The whole time, I want to choke her. She’s making my boyfriend happy, dazzling him with her life working at a video game company. If I talk about angry customer phone calls and adjusting customer purchases due to fraud, it’s a bore fest. Gabe will yawn and talk about some new exercise move he’s made up.
I’m trying my hardest not to be that one girlfriend who can’t take her man having a simple conversation with another woman, but I’m finding it damn hard.
I’m overreacting. I look at them. She laughs, gently fluffs his hair. No, my alarm blares in my ears. It’s a full-on attack. Gabe has to let her know that there are boundaries, but he’s not doing that. He’s not even thinking about it.
What can I do to break up their conversation? Gabe doesn’t want to talk about his dad. He doesn’t want to talk about his feelings. Maybe, we could reminisce about last night. We had a wonderful time together, but it didn’t last long enough, felt like he was in a hurry to get it over with. Gabe has been more passionate in the past, but not last night. Is it Erika? Has this woman changed how my man feels about me that quickly?
Seeds streaking across the sky is the only thing that stops Erika from talking. Booming lightning makes her jumpy. She grabs Gabe’s hand. He doesn’t try to separate himself from her. He squeezes her hand instead, rubbing it with the other. She smiles at him. He returns the favor. Gabe happens to remember I’m there, clears his throat, and releases his grip.
Now, I have to show my ugly side. Since Gabe doesn’t want to draw the line, I will draw it for them both.
“Erika, we have to talk.”
“Here we go,” Michael mumbles.
“About what?” she asks with fake innocence.
“You see, Gabe, is with me. Not you…me. We’ve been dating for nine years. So, I need you to keep your paws off my man.”
“My paws?” she repeats with an attitude.
“Yeah, your fucking paws. I didn’t stutter.”
“Gabe, dude, you better handle this,” Michael replies impatiently.
“No, he had his chance,” I speak up.
“Krissy dear, I’m not trying to take your man. We were only talking. That’s what adults do.”
Her condescending tone has taken me over the cliff. I’m about to snatch every strand of hair out of her head when Gabe stands in front of me. I slap him for being insensitive to how I feel and standing up for her. Astonished by my reaction, he steps back, gripping his jaw.
“Don’t touch me! Asshole!”
“Kris, you’re being unreasonable.”
“How about we turn this around?”
Gabe chuckles with confusion and asks, “What are you talking about?”
“Let’s say that some guy I just met has all my attention instead of you. I laugh at every funny thing he says. I touch his shirt, look into his eyes, ruffle his hair, jump into his arms when I’m scared. Would you be okay with that?”
He suddenly realizes what it looks like from the other side and nods. “I was only being nice.”
“Lame ass excuse and not good enough.”
“You act like I slept with her. I haven’t. W
e’re only talking, and you’re right here. No big deal.”
“Damn, Gabe, if you don’t see what she’s doing to us, then you’re blind.”
“You have no reason to be jealous, Krissy. I love you. Okay?”
“Yeah, then act like it, and keep your fucking hands off of her.”
“Krissy…”
Not wanting to hear any more excuses, I walk away. I don’t look back. I’m not sure who’s directly behind me, but it doesn’t matter. I’m already tired, hot, and hungry. To top it all off, I’m mad as hell. I want Erika to go back to wherever she came from.
We get to a four-lane highway, two on each side of a grassy median. Michael catches up with me and points in the direction we have to go. Gabe lags a few feet behind us. Erika isn’t too far from him. It’s awkwardly quiet, but it’s better than listening to her talk about Herobitbot, her family, and her supposed accomplishments in the tech world.
An overhead sign tells us which way we’re headed. 15 North, Frederick MD. We’re on the right track. Soon we approach what’s left of a commercial area. Piles of dust in parking lots are to our right. Some cars are buried by it. Gabe is astonished by what he sees. Erika walks faster, keeping her head straight, not wanting to look or accept our current reality. We begin to see people as well. Their clothes are dusty. They stand in the parking lots where the piles of dust are minimal. Some are walking on the other side of the road, heading in the opposite direction that we’re going. Dust is flying everywhere. This area reminds me of what Michael and I saw in Fredericksburg.
We keep going, eventually catching up with stragglers and wanderers. These people are confused. They have no place to go. Tears cake dust to their cheeks. Their shoulders hang low from the tremendous loss they’ve suffered. We offer no comfort. No hope to ease their pain. One foot in front of the other.
Our view eventually changes to trees, but there are the familiar sounds of the Swarm. Glass breaking somewhere out of sight. The hissing is loud. We see a standalone house up ahead on the right. The Swarm envelop the foundation, climb as a black mass upwards. The roof collapses. Those creatures or devices are way too close. I start running. I’m scared out of my mind. They might come towards the highway. They might set their sights on us.
Dust to Dust: An Apocalyptic Thriller Page 14