Countdown to Armageddon

by Darrell Maloney

  “I just tested the milk. It’s still okay, but just cool now. Drink it before it sours.”

  “Do you think you guys can pack enough road food for two days?”

  “Oh, sure. Joyce and I have already talked about it and we have a plan. There are several packages of lunch meat and three loaves of frozen bread in the freezer. We’re going to leave it there until this evening, then we’ll make it all into sandwiches. We’ve got two cases of water and a case of soda we’ll take along, and we’ll also take a few cans of ravioli and spaghettios in case anybody gets tired of sandwiches.”

  “Good. Just don’t take anything we have to cook along the way. Campfires may attract the wrong kind of company.”

  Joyce came up behind him and hugged him.

  “Linda, if you can spare a burner I’ll boil some water for coffee.”

  “Oh, girl, that sounds great. Okay, the scrambled eggs will be ready in a couple of minutes. We can use that burner.”

  Scott turned around and kissed Joyce and said, “Sounds like you two have everything under control. How are the boys doing?”

  “They’re doing okay. They’re all upstairs pulling guard duty together. And you really need to get used to calling them ‘kids.’ Not ‘boys.’”

  He remembered Sara and said, “Yes, I suppose so.”

  He looked at Joyce and said, “Do you think there’s anything morally wrong about us taking her away from here? I mean, what if her parents find a way to get back eventually, just to find she’s not here waiting for them?”

  “In my opinion, it would be wrong if we didn’t take her with us. I mean, the alternative is leaving a frail and vulnerable fifteen year old girl to fend for herself in what will soon be a very violent world. What chance would she have?”

  He had to admit, she was right as usual.

  “Besides, I talked to her last night. She left a note for her parents. It has our address in it so it will bring them to our house. I’m going to write a second letter for them today. I will tell them that when they get here, to make themselves at home. I will tell them that we have taken their daughter to a safe place, and that we will take good care of her.

  “And I will also tell them that at some point, when we believe it’s safe to do so, we will return her to them.”

  “Good. I slept like a rock last night. Did I miss anything? Was there any activity in the street?”

  Linda spoke up again.

  “No, the street was deathly quiet. We heard a lot of gunshots, but they were far away, over in the business district. We also saw a couple of yellow glows on the horizon. Fires, I suppose.”

  Joyce added, “We assumed it was probably looters, stealing whatever they could from the stores before the lights came back on. Imagine how stupid they’ll feel when those huge televisions they carted away are absolutely worthless.”

  “Or it may be that the rioting has begun. That would explain the fires.”

  “It’ll be twice as bad tonight. By then people will be furious with the power company, for not having service restored yet. And they’ll be frustrated and sick of being stuck in their homes. I’m glad we won’t be here to see it.”

  “How are you two holding up?”

  “I’m beat. After we eat breakfast, Linda and I are going upstairs to crash. Y’all can wake us up in the afternoon to start preparing the food. Or before then if you need our help with something else.”

  “I don’t think that’ll be a problem. We’ve got all day long to make preparations. If you’re still asleep at five, we’ll wake you up then. I can’t wait to get the hell out of here.”

  Scott said, “I’m going upstairs to relieve the kids so they can come and eat. After they’re finished, would you have one of them bring me a plate?”

  He headed up the stairs to find Jordan standing at the window watching the street, and Zachary and Sara sitting on the bed playing “rock, paper, scissors.”

  “Good morning you guys. How’d everybody sleep?”

  “Pretty good, Dad. I sure was sore when I got up, though. I hope I never have to walk that far again.”

  “I think that’s a safe bet. Are you guys hungry?”

  “Starved.”

  “Well, head downstairs. Breakfast will be done soon.”

  “Dad, what’s the game plan?”

  “This afternoon we’re going to get the vehicles ready and packed, and as soon as it’s dark, we’re going to head out. We’ll go very slowly, and it’ll take two full nights to get there. During the day in between we’ll camp in the woods.”

  “So what’s our job? Today, I mean?”

  “There will be plenty to do. Your mom and Joyce will be making sandwiches and other food later and packing the coolers. You can help them. Or you can help me get the Gators ready to go. One of the things I want everybody to do is to eat as much as they can before we set out.”

  Jordan, who loved to eat, smiled and said, “Really?”

  “Yes. Anything we leave behind will either spoil or be looted once our neighbors start running out of food. And the more we eat before we leave, the less hungry we’ll get on the way, and the less food we’ll have to pack for the trip. So find out what your mom and Joyce are setting aside for the trip and leave that alone. Everything else is fair game.”

  The kids went downstairs and Scott stood watch at the window. He watched several of his neighbors, assembled in the street three houses over.

  He was tempted to go over and warn them. To tell them that the power wouldn’t be coming back on today, as everyone hoped. That it would be many years before it came back on again. And that the world would become a very harsh and unforgiving place in the meantime.

  But then he thought better of it. They likely wouldn’t believe him. And they’d find out for themselves soon enough.

  -44-

  Jordan and Sara sat together at the dining room table, chowing down on bacon and eggs.

  Zachary sat across from them, picking at his.

  Linda came up behind them and put an arm around each of them.

  “How are you guys doing?”

  “Fine, Mom. How come eggs always taste better when they’re cooked on a camp stove?”

  “You noticed that too? I’ve always believed that. And I don’t know why. It’s all in our heads, I suppose. Like maybe we associate a camp stove with vacations, or fun. I don’t know. But they are good eggs, aren’t they?”

  Sara asked, “Is this the last time we’ll ever have eggs?”

  Linda smiled.

  “Oh, no, sweetheart. Today, have Jordan tell you all about the compound and the preparations we’ve made up there. We’ve got hens for laying eggs and a milk cow, and other cows and pigs and chickens for meat. We’ve also got rabbits and a pond for fishing. It won’t be paradise, but we’ll have it a lot easier than most people.”

  Then she realized that what she said could have caused some pain.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Sara. I know you’re worried about your parents. They’ll be fine as long as they are with others and can help protect each other. I’m glad they have plenty of family up there in St. Louis. They can help each other survive. And I hope they can find a way to come back for you.”

  Sara got a strange look on her face.

  “Yes. I hope so too.”

  “Honey, after you eat breakfast, I want you to come upstairs with me. You and I are about the same size, and you’ll need clothes. I have a closet full of my things that I leave here. I want you to go through them and pick out what you want to take with us.”

  “Won’t you need them?”

  “No. I’ve got several boxes of clothes already at the compound. You’re welcome to those too. I was going to leave my clothes here behind, but you’ll need things to wear in case it’s a few days before we can go through boxes. So you’re welcome to anything you find.”

  Jordan chuckled.

  “Just what I need. A girlfriend in mom clothes.”

  “Oh, you hush!”

  Joyce went t
hrough the house, blowing out candles and opening each of the blinds a few inches to let in the morning sunshine.

  She said, “Today is going to be a very memorable day, and for all the wrong reasons. Are you guys all okay?”

  “Yep,” Zachary said. “Fine as wine.”

  Jordan punched his brother on the arm.

  “How would you know anything about wine, you little twerp?”

  Zachary hit him back.

  “I know as much about wine as you know about anything, you big ugly jerk.”

  Linda stopped the war before it got out of hand.

  “All right, you two. Stop it. Finish your breakfast before I beat you both.”

  A bit later, Linda took Sara upstairs to go through the closet in the back bedroom. She and Scott hadn’t been married in several years, but since Scott told her of the disaster to come, she kept a closet full of clothes and other personal items here. Just in case she was trapped in the house for any length of time.

  As they were going through the closet and trying things on, Sara broke the ice.

  “Linda, thank you for being so understanding.”

  “It’s not a problem, honey. Really.”

  “I sort of have a confession to make.”

  “I know, honey. I’m ready, whenever you’re ready to talk about it.”

  “You know? But how?”

  “I’m a mom, Sara. As soon as we mentioned your family, I saw something in your eyes. Something that said you had a secret you were keeping. I don’t know what it is, but whatever’s the problem, I can’t help you until it’s out in the open.”

  Sara looked down. She didn’t know where to begin.

  “My parents won’t be coming here looking for me.”

  It wasn’t what Linda was suspecting. She was expecting the revelation that Sara and her son had been intimate, were lovers, or maybe even that a baby was in their future. But not this.

  “But why?”

  “Jordan was telling you the truth when he said I left my parents a letter. But I deceived him. All I really did was take an empty envelope and write their names on the outside of it.”

  Linda could see the pain in the young girl’s eyes. But she didn’t push her for answers. She waited until Sara was ready to say the words.

  “I don’t want my parents to come after me. I’ve been trying to get away from them for a long time. This is finally my opportunity.”

  “Have they been hurting you, honey?”

  She held out her arms, and Sara came to her. Then the tears started flowing. First from Sara’s eyes. Then from Linda’s.

  “He’s not really my father. My real father left when I was five. I don’t even know where he is. My mom said he died in a prison somewhere. But I haven’t believed anything my mom has told me in years.

  “My step-father… Jesse… he’s not a nice man.”

  She paused, trying to find the words. Linda held her close and ran her fingers through Sara’s long brown hair.

  “It started out with Jesse coming to me in the night and touching me. Then it got worse. My mom drinks. She’s been an alcoholic since before my real dad left. In fact, I think that’s why he left.

  “Mom and Jesse used to fight all the time about her drinking. Then he stopped. He told her he didn’t care. Now it’s almost like he encourages her to drink. Because two or three times a week, she gets way drunk and passes out.

  “And that’s when he comes to me.”

  “Does she know?”

  “Yes. I’ve told her. She calls me a liar. She says he wouldn’t do that. Then she tells me I must never tell anyone my ‘lies’ about Jesse. Because then they’ll throw Jesse in prison. And she says that Jesse is a good worker, and he makes good money. And if Jesse gets locked up we won’t have nice things, like a big house and nice furniture and flat screen TVs.”

  Sara looked at Linda. Then she looked down in shame.

  “My mother turned me into a whore for her booze and for fancy television sets.”

  Linda put her fingers under Sara’s chin and lifted up her face.

  “Don’t look down, honey. You’ve done nothing wrong. Don’t you dare accept that man’s shame for him. You are not a whore. You are a child. A child who has been terribly abused. But those days are over now, I promise you that. That animal will never abuse you again.”

  -45-

  Linda and Sara finished looking through clothes and removed several items from the closet. Linda found a box and they filled it up and wrote Sara’s name on it.

  “Remember, this is just to tide you over for the next few days. Once we’re at the compound, you’re more than welcome to go through the clothes I have there and claim whatever suits you. Now, how old are you, exactly?”

  “Fifteen. I’ll be sixteen in May.”

  “Okay, you may not be finished growing yet. If you grow a bit more and my clothes no longer fit you, I’m positive that Joyce will share hers. She’s a size larger than me in some brands, and two sizes in others...”

  Linda looked at Sara and saw tears in her eyes, and stopped talking immediately.

  “What’s the matter, dear?”

  Sara reached out and hugged her, and held her close.

  “Thank you so much for doing this for me. You had every right to send me away. Yet you’re treating me better than my own mother has treated me in a very long time. And there is no possible way I can ever repay you.”

  “Shhhhh. You’re wrong. We could never have sent you away. You were a very special part of Jordan’s life, and now you’re a very special part of ours. And no one will ever ask you to repay anything. You are one of us now, and we share easily. I know. I was an outsider too. Scott and I have been divorced for many years. He and Joyce could very easily have sent me away too. At first I thought they only invited me along because my sons insisted on it. But then I saw that they did it because they saw it as the right thing to do. They are good people, and none of us will treat you as an outsider. Now wipe those tears away, okay?”

  Linda made a silly face and made her smile.

  “However,” Linda said. “Back to that other thing. Another thing we don’t normally do around here is keep secrets. Under the circumstances, we’re going to make an exception this time. But there will come a time when you will have to tell Scott and Joyce what you told me. Otherwise, they will start making plans to reconcile you with your parents again. They’ll probably go through a lot of effort, and maybe even some risk, figuring out how to get your parents up there or you back to them in a safe environment.

  “When you make it clear to them that you don’t like the idea, but don’t tell them why, the truth will come out. And then you will have destroyed their trust. And trust is something that you usually can’t get back.

  “So I’ll keep your secret for the time being, but you’ll need to start trying to find a way to tell them.”

  “Would you tell them for me?”

  Linda thought hard.

  “It’s something that should come from you. I want you to try. But if you just cannot bring yourself to do it, then I will tell them for you.”

  “Okay. But no one will tell Jordan, right? I mean, I just couldn’t bear for him to know.”

  Linda saw a look of mild panic on Sara’s pretty face that she couldn’t understand.

  “Why, honey?”

  “When no one is around, when we talk on the phone late at night… or when we used to… he would call me his little angel. I like that. He thinks of me as innocent and pure. And I haven’t felt that way in a very long time.”

  The tears returned, and Linda held her.

  “My ultimate dream is to marry Jordan someday. He is the most wonderful boy I’ve ever met. I want him to be mine forever. But if he knows I’m damaged goods…”

  Her voice cracked. She couldn’t continue.

  “Shhhhhh. You’re not damaged goods, honey. And if Jordan wants to think of you as his little angel, then he’s absolutely right. In my opinion, he’s not talking abou
t your body or how pure you are. He’s talking about the way you behave, the way you act, the way you make him smile and feel like’s he’s the most important guy in the world.

  “And my son is brilliant. He’s almost always right. So if he considers you an angel, then that’s good enough for me.”

  She held Sara by the shoulders and looked her right in the eyes.

  “And that thing I said about not keeping secrets around here? That only applies to grownups and to angels. Not to teenage boys. I mean, let’s be real. Teenage boys are just barely human. Am I right?”

  Sara chuckled.

  “So let’s make a deal. You try to find a way to tell Scott and Joyce so they don’t waste a lot of time and trouble trying to reconcile you with your folks. If you honestly can’t bring yourself to tell them, then I will for you. The three of us will keep your secret from Jordan and Zachary. And you can take that secret to the grave with you if you wish, or you can tell Jordan sometime later. Fair enough?”

  Sara cried a few more tears, which didn’t surprise Linda at all. She was a bit taken back, though, by Sara’s next words.

  “Thank you, Linda. I love you.”

  Now it was Linda’s turn to tear up.

  “You’re welcome, dear. And I love you too.”

  -46-

  At mid-morning, Scott asked everyone to meet in the upstairs bedroom where Joyce was keeping watch.

  “I’ve looked over everything, and it appears to be in good shape. I’ve also prepared a checklist of things we have to do, preparations we have to make, before we head out tonight.

  “By my reckoning, it’ll take about three hours to prepare everything if we break down into two teams. The guys can help me outside, if you ladies can work inside. We’ll leave the patio door open, and Duke can have the run of the house. He’ll alert us if he senses anybody out front, so we can stand down on guard duty.

  “The sun should set around eight o’clock or so. That’s when we’ll set out, if everything is ready.

  “Now, here’s the kicker. I know everyone’s all excited, and the adrenaline is flowing. But we’re going to be up all night, the next two nights. It would be wise if everyone at least tried to take a nap.”