by Harley Tate
“It was my father’s. When he died, I kept it. But I don’t know the first thing about guns.” She puffed up her cheeks as she thought. “I don’t think it’s been fired in thirty years.”
Tracy reached out. “May I?”
Wanda nodded and Tracy picked up the revolver, squinting to read the engraving on the side. COLT. D.A. 45. UNITED STATES PROPERTY. The bottom of the grip had another inscription, U.S. ARMY MODEL 1917. Tracy glanced up. “Was your father in the war?”
Wanda nodded. “He enlisted in ’41 when he was only 17. Lied a bit about his age to get in.”
Tracy nodded. She didn’t know much about World War II history, but a gun was a gun. “I’m surprised they issued him a revolver. Seems like by then it would have been all rifles and semi-automatic pistols.”
Wanda’s brows pinched together. “I want to say he traded for it, but I don’t remember the details. My dad never liked talking about the war. Every time I’d ask, he’d change the topic.”
Tracy nodded. Her uncle had been the same way. “Do you have any more ammunition?”
Wanda shook her head.
Tracy picked up one of the rounds and rolled it in her fingers. Six wasn’t a lot, but it was better than none. She zipped the case back up and handed it back to Wanda. “Put this somewhere safe and let’s get out of here.”
Wanda slid the pouch into her duffel and picked it up before hustling back to the bathroom to grab the rolling suitcase. Tracy picked up the recycling bin stuffed full of supplies and grabbed the case of Slim Fast.
They headed out the front door of Wanda’s apartment, back through the hallway that still smelled like a mix of rot and vomit, and out into the California sunshine.
Tracy stopped at the edge of the parking lot, fear and dread shocking her still. She turned to Wanda, the older woman’s face paling as she stared at the empty parking spot in front of them.
The Suburban was gone.
Chapter Twenty
MADISON
Sacramento, CA
2:00 p.m.
Brianna slowed as Madison pointed at the little brown bungalow two houses from the end of the street.
“It’s so cute… and tiny!”
Madison smiled as she rolled her eyes. “My parents moved here when I left for college. They didn’t want to take care of a big house anymore.”
Peyton nudged her. “I like it. It’s almost Lilliputian.”
“It’s like one of those tiny houses you see on TV.” Tucker craned his head out the open window. “Does it come on wheels? I bet it’s got wheels.”
“Guys, come on. It’s just a small house. This whole neighborhood was built in the forties. Haven’t you seen any documentaries about the building after World War II?”
Each one of her friends gave her a blank look. “You know, the building and baby boom? All these tiny houses were built for the GIs just coming home from the war. Some people love these places.”
Peyton half-coughed out a response. “Not six-foot-two guys.”
“You’re all just jealous.” Madison pointed at the front step. “I bet none of you have a patio where you can grow tomatoes in March.”
Brianna pulled the Jeep into the drive and turned off the engine. “I confess. Those patio tomatoes are making me green with envy.”
“You mean green with hunger. I see one that’s ripe right now.” Tucker pushed open the passenger door and hopped out, walking over to the plants without another word.
“How can you be hungry? You ate half of that minimart!” Brianna shook her head. “Men.”
“Watch it. There’s still one of us in the car.” Peyton poked Brianna in the shoulder with a grin a mile wide, but Madison wasn’t interested. They’d been trying to get to her house for two days. She needed to find her family and hug them.
“Come on.” Madison pushed open her door and Peyton and Brianna did the same. She walked past Tucker, who was crouched over the tomato plants and knocked on the front door. The sound carried through the dark house.
She shifted her weight back and forth, waiting. After thirty seconds, she knocked again, rapping her knuckles on the window instead of the wood. Still no answer.
Madison cursed under her breath and held her hands up to the glass, cupping her face to block out the afternoon sun. She couldn’t make out much inside other than the familiar couch and now-worthless television.
“Brianna, check the garage, will you?” Madison shouted the question to her roommate while she made her way down the front porch to the side of the house. No evidence of anyone.
“No car in the garage.” Brianna came around the corner shaking her head. “I don’t think they’re home.”
“Where could they be? Why would they leave?” Madison frowned and rubbed at her forehead, trying to make sense of it. If her mom had received even one of her texts, then she’d be there, safe and sound, wouldn’t she?
“So, I hate to be Captain Obvious, but do you have a key?” Tucker stood up, three ripe tomatoes in his hand. “’Cause it would be great to go inside out of the sun. My Nordic roots don’t like the heat.”
Madison dug in her pocket and fished out her keys before unlocking the front door. She pushed it open and popped her head inside. “Mom? Dad? Anyone home?”
No response.
With a disappointed exhale, she shoved the door wide and walked in, ushering her friends out of the sun and into the living room. It looked just like the last time she’d been home, apart from the lack of lights. Still the same brown leather sofa they’d had for a decade, the same TV and cabinet beneath it. Not a single picture on the wall had been bumped or moved.
If something bad happened to her parents, it wasn’t while they were home. She walked into the kitchen and stopped still. Someone had definitely gotten the message.
“Wow. Did your parents do all this?”
Madison stood gawking at the containers stuffed onto the counter. Every vase, Tupperware, water bottle, and trash can had been filled with water and squeezed onto the kitchen counter.
Madison nodded. “It must have been my mom. She got my texts.” She glanced around in awe. “That’s good, right? That means she prepared.”
“Yeah, but where did she go?” Brianna picked up a piece of paper from the kitchen counter. “Looks like she inventoried the fridge and freezer, too.”
Brianna held out the paper and Madison took it, scanning down the list of foods with dates next to each item, all in her mom’s handwriting. “She went through all the perishable food and noted when to eat it. Some of it’s listed today.”
Madison shook her head. “She wouldn’t have done that if she didn’t think she’d be here.”
“What if she left it for you or your dad?”
“Maybe.” Madison set the list back down and walked over to the sink, resting her hands on it as she stared out into the backyard. “But something seems off. She wouldn’t just disappear. If she’d planned to be gone for a while, she’d have left a note, eaten the food, something.”
“Hey, Madison?” Peyton called out from down the hall. “You might want to see this.”
Oh, no. Madison’s chest constricted with dread. She rushed into the guest bedroom where Peyton stood. “What is it?”
He pointed at the rumpled bed sheets. “Someone’s been sleeping in that bed.”
She frowned. “That’s weird. My parents’ bedroom is across the hall.”
“That’s not the only thing.” Peyton walked past her and pushed open her parents’ bedroom. “Look.”
“Oh my goodness.” Madison marveled at the stacks upon stacks of supplies. Gatorade and water. Toilet paper and paper towels. Protein powder and granola bars. “This is so my mom.” Madison walked up to the cases of water and ran her fingers over the plastic. “She made me do Girl Scouts all the way through high school. I even had to earn the Gold Award.”
Madison turned to Peyton. “She is all about being prepared.”
“Not like Brianna’s family, though right?” Pe
yton glanced around. “I mean, this is a good start, but unless there are some secret stairs to a bunker or fallout shelter, I’m not seeing a long-term survivalist here.”
Madison shook her head. “No bunker. My mom isn’t into doomsday stuff, more just everyday capabilities. But I can see her scrambling to get as much as she could if she thought something bad was about to happen.”
“Maybe she’s out foraging. She could be rounding up more supplies.”
“It’s a possibility, but I’d think she’d want to stay home and keep an eye over all of this. Especially if my dad’s not here.” Madison glanced around. “It doesn’t look like he made it back yet.”
“Where is he?”
Madison exhaled. “Anywhere from here to China. He had the San Francisco to Hong Kong flight yesterday.”
“Ouch. That sucks.”
Madison sat down on the edge of her mom’s bed. “What about you? Aren’t you worried about your dad?”
Peyton joined her on the edge of the mattress, his massive frame dipping the bed as he scooted back. “A little. But I shouldn’t even give that jerk a second thought.”
“Why not?”
“What good would it do? He basically disowned me, Madison. Kicked me out of the family and told me to not come back until I’d wised up.” Peyton snorted. “I’d like to see the look on his face when he realizes all he’s built is worthless.”
Madison reached out and grabbed Peyton’s hand. “I’m sorry. I know that’s got to hurt. But he’s still your dad. If you want to try and—”
“No.” Peyton cut her off mid-sentence. He pulled his hand away from hers and stood up. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s on his own.”
“You mean that?”
Peyton threw out his hands. “Say I make it to Los Angeles. That somehow I can get a car and drive the four hundred miles all the way down there without gas or running into any kind of problems. Then what? I’m in freakin’ Los Angeles. My dad was planning that massive party. I don’t even know where he’d be. He could be at home, at the studio, the label, at some friend’s mansion drinking champagne and swimming in the backyard pool like this is all one big vacation.”
“And if he’s not?”
Peyton stopped pacing. “Then he’s got the pool out back, a kitchen full of food, and a gated front entrance. That should give him a little while, at least.”
Madison hurt for her best friend. Not having a good relationship with her parents seemed impossible, but she knew lots of kids weren’t so lucky. Even her own mom had a rough time growing up, but she hadn’t shared many details. All Madison knew was that her mom hadn’t spoken to her parents since before Madison was even born.
“I’m sorry, Peyton. People suck.”
“My dad, especially.” He sat back down with a sad smile on his face. “Enough about me. How are we going to find your parents?”
Madison thought it over. Part of her wanted to grab her pack and set off on foot, knocking on every door to ask about her mom. But another part of her said to stay put and wait. “I’m leaning toward the hug-a-tree approach.”
“The what?”
“You know, if you’re lost in the woods the best thing to do is sit down and hug a tree. It’s what my parents taught me when we went backpacking. It’s easier to find someone who’s lost if they just stay put.”
The more Madison thought it over, the more she settled on staying home. “My mom will come back. We just need to stay here and wait. Keep the place safe.”
“And all these supplies.” Peyton stood, up rubbing his arms. “You think if we open the windows it’ll warm up in here? I’m wondering how we’re all going to stay warm tonight.”
Madison shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”
Peyton cranked open the window and a breeze shifted Madison’s hair.
She glanced up in alarm. “Do you smell that?” She sniffed the air again. “It smells… like smoke.”
Chapter Twenty-One
MADISON
Sacramento, CA
3:00 p.m.
“What’s going on?” Madison rushed out of the house, almost tripping over the step as she stumbled to a stop on the back patio. “Is something on fire?”
“Only Tucker’s ego.” Brianna nodded at the grill. “Seems he’s not too manly, after all.”
Tucker cast his girlfriend a glance. “I never said I was a grill master.” He turned to Madison. “Please tell me you know how this works.”
Madison sucked in a breath as her heartbeat slowed from hyperdrive to normal. “I thought you all had lit something on fire.”
Tucker ducked his head. “Only my pride.”
She laughed without hesitation for the first time in forever. “Lucky for you, I’m an expert griller. My mom’s got a list of food and when to eat it in the kitchen. How about we crank this baby up and have us some steak?”
“If I didn’t have a girlfriend…” Tucker’s lame attempt at a joke was cut off by a tomato landing smack on his cheek. He caught it before it hit the ground. “Come on, babe, you know I was only joking.”
“And you know I’ve got a mean fast pitch.” Brianna brushed past Tucker and headed for the house. “If you don’t get in here and help me pick, then you’ll have to eat a veggie burger.”
“Aw man, that’s not fair.” Tucker raced after her and the two disappeared into the house.
Madison turned back to the grill and pushed the ignition a few times before twisting the closest burner on. She might not know where her parents were, but she wasn’t alone. She had three friends to share the afternoon, and they had food, water, and shelter. That was more than enough to be thankful for.
“You sure it’s all right if we eat a bunch of food?” Peyton stopped beside her, a can of Coke in his hand. “My backpack’s stuffed with food just like everyone else’s. We don’t have to eat what your parents have.”
Madison cast him a look. “Don’t be silly. Of course you can eat here. She waved at the kitchen. “All the meat in the fridge is probably bad and the stuff in the freezer is on the edge. If we don’t cook it, we’ll just have to get rid of it somehow.” She glanced at the wheeled trash can supplied by the city. “I don’t think trash pickup will happen this week.”
Peyton sipped his soda but didn’t say anything.
Whenever he grew silent, it meant he had more on his mind. “What is it?”
He looked up at the sky, focusing on the hints of color already appearing on the edge of dusk. “I know Brianna and Tucker are dead set on leaving, but what about you? What do you want to do?”
“Stay here. Wait for my parents. They’ll come home. I know they will.”
Peyton nodded, but didn’t look at her. “If they do come back, where does that leave me?”
“What are you talking about?”
He swirled his half-empty can around and took another drink. “Will you still have room for me here? Or should I be prepared to leave?”
Madison turned to Peyton and reached for him, wrapping her arms around him in a sideways hug. His soda splashed as she pinned his arm to his side. How could he ever doubt his place in her home? She nuzzled his shirt. “It doesn’t matter if we’re down to our last Saltine, Peyton. You’re basically family. Of course there’s room for you here.”
“Eeewww. You two need to get a room.”
“Don’t tell me there’s kissing out there. You know I hate kissing.”
Brianna and Tucker stopped in front of the grill, teasing smiles on both their faces.
“I thought we agreed to leave all the kissing to the two of you.” Madison held out her hand and Brianna filled it with a plate of sliced-up zucchini and onions. Tucker held up two packages of chicken, both from the freezer. Just the sight of all the fresh food made Madison’s stomach clench. How long would it be before such a spread came this easy again?
Would anything like normalcy come back? Or was this the end of it, the last gasp of society fading into the dusk as the northern lights lit up the night?
>
She put the food on the grill and Tucker took the empty packages and plate back inside. The smell of cooking filled her nose and memories of a life too easy filled her mind. They had taken so much for granted. Not just electricity, but everything that went along with it: grocery stores, national farming corporations, the massive scale of modern food production.
The United States produced more food than every person inside its borders could ever hope to eat and many times over. Americans threw away so much food every day it was mind-boggling. She remembered the statistics from her sustainable farming class: 40 percent of all food grown in the US was thrown away. Enough to feed millions of people. Every. Single. Day.
How many people would wake up in a few days wishing they had canned all those strawberries and apples they had let rot in their fridges? How many would even know what to look for to see if food was still edible? Madison flipped over the chicken and veggies, thankful for what they had, but wary about the future.
Endless questions percolated in her head.
Peyton tapped her temple. “Whatcha thinking?”
Madison’s brows knit together as she tried to put it into coherent words. “I’m worried. How long will it be before people figure out this is the best it’s going to be?”
“What do you mean?”
Brianna perched on the edge of the patio table, leaning against the weathered wood. “It won’t take long. Once people run out of food, they’ll look to the government, the military. When they don’t come…” She crossed her arms across her chest. “It’ll get ugly fast.”
“You really think everything’s just stopped? That no one’s going to try to help?”
“How can they? There’s no power. How many police and military have reported to work? How many government employees actually showed up at their offices and tried to organize anything?”
Tucker came back outside, nodding along with his girlfriend. “Brianna’s right. Everyone’s always looking for someone else to tell them what to do. The police, military, members of state government, they all have bosses. Someone else in charge. When those people don’t come up with a plan, everything will fall apart.”