by Hunt, Jack
“Careful, you don’t want to shoot yourself,” Damon said stepping over him and heading for the bathroom. Jesse gave a nod. At the sound of him taking a piss the others woke. Maggie rubbed her eyes.
“How did you sleep?” Jesse asked.
“Surprisingly well.”
Elliot reached for his cigarettes and tapped one out. Without Damon even asking, he took one out and tossed it onto his blanket before getting up and heading over to the window. He cracked it open and perched his butt on the ledge. A cold breeze blew in.
“What’s it like out there?” Damon asked walking back in while zipping up his pants.
“Quiet,” Elliot replied, lighting up his cigarette and blowing a plume of smoke out. “It won’t stay like that, so it’s best we get going as soon as possible.”
Jesse crawled out of his sleeping bag and headed into the kitchen to see what he could whip up for breakfast. Even though it was light out, he lit a candle inside the apartment to provide more light. He was shivering, so he went into his closet and pulled out a thick sweater and slipped it on.
“Anyone else cold?”
Maggie stuck a finger in the air and he tossed her a sweater. Even though he hung on to Chloe’s clothes for a few months after she passed, he eventually gave them away to a local secondhand store as he couldn’t bear to keep looking at them. It was odd the range of emotions he went through after her death. There was a period when he didn’t want anyone touching her stuff, not even her own family, then he allowed them to come in and take what they wanted just so they would have something to remind them of her. He glanced at his watch. It was a little after eight in the morning. He was pulling out some cereal when there was a knock at the door. Maggie eyed him and Elliot pulled his gun. Jesse crossed the room and peered through the peephole. He turned and told Elliot to put the gun away, it was his neighbor Bobby Riggs.
Jesse cracked the door open.
“Oh hey, Jesse. Heard you come in late last night. Everything okay?”
Bobby Riggs was an odd fellow. It didn’t matter how clear Jesse made it that he didn’t want to get into a long conversation with the man, he had this way of just showing up out of the blue and expecting him to drop whatever he had going on in his life.
“Fine, Bobby.”
He peered over Jesse’s shoulder. “Who’s that?”
“A friend.”
“Did you hear that explosion last night? I think it’s what caused this blackout. I hope they get the electricity on soon as its freezing in my apartment. I checked with some of the other neighbors and it seems everyone is affected. You got power?”
“Nope,” he replied, keeping his answers short and sweet otherwise it would lead into another question.
“So where d'you go last night? I thought we were going to see the New Year in together.”
Jesse heard Damon chuckle a little behind him.
“I was in Times Square.”
“Oh with your friend?”
“Friends.” Damon and Elliot stepped forward and Bobby took a few steps back.
“Okay, well do you know what’s going on?”
He didn’t even want to mention an EMP as it would have led into a long-winded conversation and all he wanted to do right now was make some coffee, even if he was going to have to heat a pot by starting a small fire in his apartment.
“No idea.”
“Well do you guys want some coffee?”
“Is it hot?” Elliot asked. Jesse squeezed the bridge of his nose. That was the worst thing he could say.
“Sure is. Used a Coleman camping stove. C’mon over.”
Elliot slipped under Jesse’s arm and grinned at him. He turned and asked the others if they wanted to go. There was no hesitation. They didn’t know Bobby like he did. The last time he agreed to step in his apartment, he ended up spending six hours in there listening to him rattle on about politics and the state of the world. Jesse followed them into his place across the hall. Inside the smell of fresh coffee and weed dominated the air. That was one thing Bobby was into… weed and lots of it. He had his medical marijuana card and so a joint was never far from his hand. He had no problem with him smoking it but it smelled like shit. Real dank and pungent.
“Forgive the state. I had a few of the neighbors over last night. You know Barb and Marcus, Jesse?”
He nodded. He had no idea who the hell he was on about as other than Bobby he didn’t converse with anyone else. He figured they were a new couple that had moved in that weren’t familiar with Bobby’s mental state. Maybe he was being a little hard on him, he was a nice guy, just a little odd. Inside his apartment it was the complete opposite of Jesse’s. He was a bit of a hoarder and there was no theme to the place, unless clutter was a theme. He had two black leather sofas, matching armchairs, a huge statue of Buddha near his kitchen, Christmas decorations covering every inch of space and there was an oversized, black-and-white photo of Greta Garbo positioned above the couch.
“What happened to your leg?” Bobby asked Maggie as he went about pouring out four cups of coffee. Maggie looked down and then back at him. “A bit of an accident.”
“I have some hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls in the bathroom you can use if you want to change that bandage.”
Maggie tossed Elliot a look, and he nodded. Over the course of the next five minutes, Elliot went about cleaning her wound and bandaging it with a fresh one.
“Say, Bobby, you have a vehicle by any chance?” Damon asked.
“A moped.”
“Right, that’s not going to be of much use.”
He brought a tray of coffees out into the living room and set it down on the table and then went about asking if anyone wanted cream and sugar. Coffee that morning tasted sweet. It was like having someone breathe life back into them.
“I noticed all the vehicles stalled on the road. What do you think could have done that?”
Elliot fed him a few answers, unaware that it would only lead to more questions. While they chatted, Jesse went to the window and looked outside. Several people were on the streets, some carrying goods inside shopping carts and looking nervously over their shoulder. It was hard to know how long it would take for society to break down but if Elliot was right, the cities would be the worst place to be, especially if people started turning on each other out of desperation. He listened in on the conversation Elliot was having with Bobby and started to think that getting away from the city might not be a bad thing. It was not like he had reason to be there anymore. He’d been barely hanging on by a thread as it was. Another month or two and he would have probably sold up and headed for Florida. He’d always thought that owning a place by the beach, waking up to a warm weather instead of snow outside, would be a good thing. Heck, maybe he’d get a neighbor who’d leave him alone.
“So you recommend stocking up?” Bobby asked.
“Before an event, not after. It’s a little late now.”
Elliot finished up his coffee and seemed in a rush to leave. “Look, thanks for the coffee but we’ve got to hit the road.”
“Where are you going?”
“North. Lake Placid.”
For once Bobby was quiet which was very out of character for him. It seemed clear that what Elliot had told him about the EMP had unnerved him. As each of them thanked him for the coffee and exited, Maggie appeared to be the only one concerned for his well-being.
“We’re just going to leave him?”
“What do you expect us to do?” Damon asked. And there it was, the truth in the midst of a disaster. They were in the same position as Bobby, no better off, it wasn’t up to them to make other people’s lives any easier. Elliot asked if Jesse had any water before he headed out. He went and grabbed a couple of bottles from the fridge.
“Well this is it. It’s been nice knowing you,” Elliot said.
“I guess,” Jesse said scratching the stubble on his face.
Elliot smirked then turned his attention to Maggie. “My offer is still open.
We’ll be outside.”
She smiled and both Elliot and Damon headed downstairs.
She turned to Jesse. “Why don’t you come with us?”
“Me? There’s nothing in Lake Placid for me. Besides, why do you want to go? You don’t even know him. For all we know, he might be out of his mind. Look at him, Maggie. He’s been sleeping on the street, and the other guy, Damon… well, who knows what his story is but I don’t get a good feeling about it.”
She got this sheepish look on her face and her chin dropped. “If this is what Elliot said, don’t you think it’s better to stick with someone who’s familiar with how to survive this?”
Jesse sighed and leaned against the doorway.
“We don’t even know what this is, Maggie. Heck, you don’t know me. I don’t know you.”
“And so what, we ignore one another? Is that the answer?”
“Seems to work with my neighbor, Bobby.”
“That’s your way, not mine,” she said. “Look, I’m not going to convince you to come with us. If you want to stay, stay.” Her mouth curled up at the corner, a strained smile. “Nice to have met you, Jesse.”
“Likewise,” he said extending a hand. She shook it before heading down the steps. Jesse walked back into his apartment and closed the door behind him. He stared at the blankets on the ground and listened to his clock ticking. He eyed the photo of Chloe on the side table and went over and picked it up. His mind churned over what she would have wanted him to do. It wouldn’t be the first crazy thing he’d ever done. Quitting a well-paid job in banking and taking a job as a bike messenger was right up there, as was eloping with Chloe to Vegas. Jesse walked over to the window and looked out. Down below he saw Maggie exit the apartment block. She glanced up for a second and he gave a nod before she joined the other two. Elliot lifted his eyes, then they continued on their way heading west.
Jesse tapped the frame of the window with his knuckles for a second or two and then turned back to his empty apartment. Oh, what the hell, he thought. He scooped up his sleeping bag, stuffed it in his backpack and grabbed the flashlight off the counter, and a few things to eat, before heading towards the door. He was about to leave then remembered the gun he’d left on the counter.
“Let’s hope I don’t need this,” he said scooping it up and heading out.
Outside he knocked on Bobby’s door. Bobby answered with a smile on his face, thinking that he’d come over to spend time with him. Instead, he tossed him his keys.
“Keep an eye on my place, okay? I might be back in a few days. I might not be back at all.”
“What?”
“See yah later, Bobby!”
He hurried down the steps and double-timed it to catch up with them.
Chapter 14
When morning came, Rayna awoke to a large, heavy weight pressing down on her legs. She groaned and tried to move but she couldn’t. Prying her eyes open, she looked and could see that Kong had decided to plonk his butt down on her legs. He was stretched over fast asleep.
“Kong, get off.”
An ear went up and one eye opened. The dog let out a big yawn, then slid off the end of her legs.
“That’s right, take your time.”
She looked over to her kids who were still sleeping before she gazed at the digital clock. Damn it! The power hadn’t come on. She hadn’t slept much that night. The encounter with her neighbors at midnight had put her nerves on edge and so she found herself waking up to even the faintest creak. She slipped out from her blankets and looked outside. At least the rain had stopped. She shook Lily.
“Come on, lazybones, get up. Lots to get done today.”
“But it’s a holiday.”
“And I need your help around the house.”
“Why’s it so cold?” Evan asked.
“The heating isn’t working.”
She went out to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. It spluttered a few times and kicked out what remained inside the pipes. It wasn’t much but fortunately she’d already filled the sinks and bath tub the day before. She went about washing herself and reminded the kids not to get rid of the water in the sink. She sat down on the toilet and relieved herself, then realized in that moment that no water meant… no flushing. Oh great. Of course there were plenty of streams, plus East Lake and Mirror Lake nearby that they could draw water from, but regardless, this wasn’t good. Not at all. After she flushed the toilet for the last time, she headed downstairs and went through the process of checking the landline phone. Nothing. She yawned and stretched out, Kong did the same. Next she put on her boots and coat and headed outside towards the shed. She’d planned on getting the two-way radio before the men had shown up. She needed to get in contact with Gary and find out what was going on. Then it dawned on her. He probably wouldn’t have the other headset on. Halfway across the yard she headed back into the house.
“Come on, kids. We’re heading out.”
Even though things were pointing to an EMP, her mind still wasn’t jumping to that conclusion. Lily and Evan trudged down the stairs.
“But we haven’t even had anything to eat.”
“Grab a granola bar and banana.”
“Where are we going?”
“To see Uncle Gary.”
That’s what they called him even though he wasn’t related. Gary and Jill had been their closest friends for the longest time. In many ways, after seeing how Gary bounced back from PTSD, it gave her hope for Elliot, until he upped and left. Even then Gary still held out hope for him. “Give him time, Rayna. He’ll come around,” he said.
Except he hadn’t. After twelve months without seeing him, she didn’t know if he was alive or dead. Suicide rates were high among those suffering from PTSD and if she was completely honest with herself, the thought had gone through her mind that maybe, just maybe he’d reached that point.
Once the kids were dressed and ready to head out, she clipped a chain on Kong and locked up. Evan held on to Kong while she tried firing up her SUV. It hadn’t started the day before but she just wanted to try it one more time. Nothing happened.
“What’s going on, Mom?” Lily asked.
“It’s okay, we’re going to walk.”
“Walk? But that will take us half an hour and it’s cold.”
“The exercise will do us good.”
She locked up, and they headed off. As they came out of the driveway that’s when she saw got a glimpse of what occurred yesterday. Farther down the road, vehicles were clogging up the street. These hadn’t been parked. They were stalled. She saw a couple of her neighbors and waved to them. They offered back strained smiles but looked equally perplexed. It was only when she walked past the home of the two men, Austin and Trent, that she got nervous. Fortunately they weren’t outside, but an old truck was, parked at an angle. She didn’t like leaving the house unattended but until she spoke with Gary, she didn’t know what she was up against.
Mirror Lake Drive circled around the perimeter of the lake then connected with Main Street on the west side. They headed south because the police department was just off Mirror Lake Drive and Parkside. Gary’s place wasn’t more than half a mile from there. They’d recently bought a beautiful home on Morningside Drive. It was nestled in the trees and backed onto Lake Placid Golf Club. She figured he’d be down at the station after the blackout.
Chapter 15
It was a chaotic scene at the police station. The department was located in a three-story, brown brick building that also served as city hall, the mayor’s office and the courts. That morning there had to be close to sixty people huddled outside in the cold wanting to voice their complaints and get answers about what was going on and why the power was off.
“Stay close,” Rayna said gripping Lily’s hand and elbowing her way to the front with Evan on her other side. She had managed to make it to the front doors when Officer Jackson prevented her from going in.
“Ma’am, I need you to stay outside.”
“I’m here t
o see Gary Westin.”
“He’s a little busy at the moment.”
“Can you please just pass on a message? Tell him it’s Rayna Wilson. I need to speak to him.”
He nodded and made a gesture for her to stand back. She wasn’t familiar with all the officers. Rayna had only met a few of them. The department wasn’t large. There were eight patrolmen, one part-time patrolman, a sergeant, an assistant chief and the chief. She walked off to one side and huddled together with the kids. Kong sat down beside her and joined them observing the rabble of men and women voicing their complaints.
“How am I meant to feed my kids? None of the grocery stores are open.”
“My mother is eighty-nine, she won’t last through another night of these low temperatures.”
A bulky man wearing a hunting cap and jacket shoved his way to the front and stabbed his finger into the chest of Officer Jackson. “I want to know right now what is going on. Why is the power out?”
“Sir, step back.”
He took one step back but continued his tirade. “You know my taxes pay your salary. Now I know you aren’t telling us something. So what the hell is going on?”
Officer Jackson was doing his best along with three other officers to field questions and reassure the angry mob that every step was being taken to remedy the situation.
“This is North Korea, isn’t it?” a woman shouted from the crowd. That only incited more yelling. She understood their frustration. It was very real. Fortunately, she had been to the grocery the night before the power went out, and Elliot had more than enough in the shelter to carry them for the next six months, but these people, well, she couldn’t help feel their pain. Elliot had warned her about this kind of thing happening. He said society wouldn’t collapse overnight but it wouldn’t take long. Just because one person could reel in their emotions and act like a human being, it didn’t mean others would do the same. And it would be foolish to think they would.