by Kip Nelson
“How could you be sure you'd be alright?”
“I wasn't. Believe me, I was more scared than any other time in my life, but I knew I had to pursue this. I'd built up a decent name for myself and I was getting to the point where I was earning a consistent salary through competition victories. I took the plunge and, thankfully, it worked out. I had thought that after years of sustained success they'd be proud of me when I returned, but I don't think they'll ever understand the lengths I've gone to in order to be a champion.”
“I do. It's really impressive. I'm proud to call you my uncle. Guys at school always would rave about you. I felt a little embarrassed, to be honest. But that's how me and Anthony met, so I can't complain too much.”
“It was?”
“Yeah. We were in the same class, but we didn't know each other. I kept noticing him looking at me, and I was pretty freaked out, to be honest. One day he came up to me after school and he asked me about you. We got to talking, and then we watched some of your performances, and I guess he helped me appreciate what you do a little better than I did.”
“Well then, I guess I owe him a lot,” Tillman said. At that point there was a sharp gasp. Anthony was awake.
Chapter Eight
“Anthony? Anthony! Are you alright?!” Jessica cried out as soon as Anthony lifted himself up.
He breathed in lungfuls of air and looked this way and that. Jessica was overwhelmed with emotion and flung her arms around him, kissing him deeply on the lips. It was a brief gesture, though, as she quickly collected herself and remembered that her uncle was there. She blushed a little. Tillman tried to not make her feel self-conscious.
When Anthony became aware of Tillman's presence he backed up against the wall and tried to get Jessica away from the strange man. Tillman could tell he was shocked and didn't blame him one bit.
“It's okay, Anthony, this is my uncle. Let me introduce you to Tillman Torres,” Jessica said, with a wicked smile. As soon as the words were out of her mouth Anthony's expression changed completely. He went from being afraid to being awed, and for a moment forgot his pain.
“It's...it's an honor,” he said, taking Tillman's hand and pumping it forcefully.
Tillman stifled a chuckle. Over the years he'd had to get used to people treating him like he was some kind of celebrity. It always had been at odds with the way he had seen himself. He was just a man doing something he loved, something he was good at. He wasn't any more special than anyone else, but it always was nice to know that people admired him.
“I've watched all your streams. I've seen all the ways you've played. I even did a project on you at school,” he said.
“Really?” Tillman said, raising an eyebrow. “I'm sure my niece must have come in very handy.”
“Actually, he taught me a few things about you,” Jessica said wryly.
Tillman handed Anthony something to drink, and some jerky. Anthony, acting on instinct alone, guzzled down the water before Tillman could say anything, and the bottle was left empty. Thankfully, they were close to the ranch, but Tillman couldn't allow anyone to treat a precious resource like water with such profligacy.
“Don't do that again,” Tillman said, snatching the bottle away, perhaps a little more forcefully than was needed. Anthony looked wounded. Jessica was a little shocked at her uncle's outburst.
“Something's happened, Anthony. Last night, it wasn't just a power outage. It was something more, an EMP. The whole world has been blacked out and it's not going to get any better any time soon.”
“Oh my God,” he croaked. “My parents...”
Tillman and Jessica shared a look of sympathy. She squeezed his hand. “I know it sucks, but you can stay with us. You don't have to be alone. As soon as you feel ready to move we'll head back to the ranch and we can figure out what we're going to do next,” she said.
“I feel fine,” Anthony began, then he looked down at his wounded leg and his face paled. He cried out, and the pain suddenly hit him all at once. “My leg!”
“It's okay. It's just a superficial wound. We've treated it and it's going to heal. You haven't broken anything, you've just lost a lot of blood. We'll be able to treat it properly when we get back to the ranch. For now, though, you're going to have to take it easy. Let me have a look around to see if there's anything you can use as a cane.”
Tillman flashed his niece a smile as he made his tactical withdrawal, realizing that the two kids would need a few moments of privacy. Tillman dragged Major away as he walked through the arcade machines, reminiscing about the time he had spent here in his youth, the feeling of the knobs under his fingers, the flashing lights and loud noises echoing through the room. It had been a haven for him, a place where he felt content. There was nowhere else he felt he belonged than in front of a game.
He glanced back and saw that Jessica had pressed her head to Anthony's. His heart went out to the two of them. Life already was confusing at that stage, and now an apocalypse had been thrown into the mix. He hoped they would be able to find a way through this miasma and be happy, carefree teenagers like they were supposed to be. A lot had been denied him in life, mostly to do with love, and he didn't want their fledgling relationship to end before it had a chance to blossom.
After he'd given them what he considered to be an appropriate amount of time, Tillman returned. Anthony looked a little calmer now, but Jessica moved back from him, as though she was unsure of how she should act.
“Jessica explained to me what's going on. I'm just worried about my parents. Will I ever see them again?” he asked.
“I don't know, Anthony, and I'm sorry I can't tell you any more than that. What I do know is that we're still alive, and our aim has to be to stay alive for as long as possible. As long as we're alive we never know what's going to happen, but I'm sure that if they can, they will do everything they're able to make it back to you.”
“I feel like I should wait at home for them,” he said mournfully.
“You're going to feel like you should do a lot of things. I don't know them, but I have a feeling they'd want you to be safe. Come with us, Anthony. It's the best thing for you.”
Anthony nodded, although Tillman understood how difficult it must have been for the boy. Last night he had been spending a romantic evening with the girl he liked, then they got chased, and now he was waking up to an entirely new world. Tillman sat back down with the youngsters and tried to be as calm as possible.
“So, there's no response team or anything?” he asked.
Tillman shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. I walked practically all night from the city and I didn't hear anything. I'm sure that there are some good people trying to make a difference, but they're going to have their work cut out for them. They won't be able to coordinate, and most of them will be focused in the bigger cities. Out here, in towns like these, it's going to be every man for himself.”
“But why?”
“Well, people are going to need food and shelter, and if there's one thing our history has taught us it's that people are willing to cross any line to make sure they survive,” Tillman said.
Anthony and Jessica had grave looks on their faces. Tillman was aware of how much time they were spending in here, and although he didn't want to rush them, he could feel himself getting more tense with every minute that passed. The town outside was quiet, but he was sure that at some point people would venture out and cause problems.
“I just don't get why this happened. What did we do to deserve this?” Anthony asked.
“That's the thing you'll start to learn about life. Nobody deserves anything. Things happen, and you just have to cope with them the best you can. Think of it like a video game. Sometimes you don't know if a monster is going to come after you or not. Sometimes you can sneak past them and get the treasure, other times you're going to have to take its head off. Roll with the punches,” he said.
Anthony nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. He seemed a little out of it. Tillman hoped he
would be able to get his head focused sooner rather than later. He didn't want to have to support someone who wasn't able to pull their weight.
“I have to go see Tanya,” Jessica said.
“I saw her already. She's doing fine, although she's a little scared,” Tillman said. “She's with her father. I'm sure he's looking after her.”
“I have to see her, Uncle. She's my best friend, and I left her last night. She's probably worried about me. I need to make sure she's alright,” Jessica said.
“Jess, I understand that you're a little troubled by this, but trust me, she's fine. We need to get back to the ranch. Anthony won't be able to walk too much,” Tillman said, trying to be reasonable. Jessica glared at him. The look in her eyes chilled him, for it was borne of pure fury.
“She's my friend. I need to go find her,” Jessica said through gritted teeth. Every word was enunciated, and the sentence was punctuated with a strong glare. Tillman considered his options.
“Anthony, are you ready to walk?” Jessica said, with a hint of demand in her voice. With her help, Anthony rose and gingerly put weight on his feet. He winced a little but nodded.
“I think I should be okay,” he said.
“Good,” Jessica replied, and made her way to the door. She looked back at them, as if to say, 'Are you coming?'.
“There's no use arguing with her when she's like this,” Anthony said, with the weary tone of someone who had experienced her dark moods on more than one occasion.
“Let me get you a cane,” Tillman said, and walked to the rear of the arcade to find something that Anthony could use to help him walk.
He might well be able to stand, but walking was a different matter entirely. Tillman found a metal rod that would serve as well as anything else, and brought it back to Anthony, who was appreciative. Jessica still was demanding they hurry up. Anthony and Tillman shared a glance, and then left the arcade, making their way quickly to Tanya's house.
As they walked, Tillman's anxiety increased. It was the first time since he had been reunited with Jessica that he realized she wasn't the girl he used to know. The world had shaped her. The experiences she had been through had forged her into a young woman, with her own flaws and vulnerabilities. She had a desperate look on her face, and although the need to see Tanya was noble, her single-mindedness was worrying to him, for the longer they stayed in the town, the more danger they were in.
Still, it was clear that there was nothing short of dragging her away by the scruff of her neck that would prevent her from finding Tanya, and he certainly wasn't going to go to those lengths. But he had to make her see that she had to be aware of every danger in this world.
“Jessica,” he called her back as she strode out of the door. She turned back, her orange hair whirling like flames, her face set in anguish.
“What?!” she exclaimed tersely.
Tillman took a deep breath and walked up to her, looking around them. Anthony leaned against the wall. Walking clearly was taking a toll on him. Tillman could notice, considering his weakened ankle the previous night. He lowered his voice as he reached her so that she was the only one who could hear his words.
“I understand you're worried about your friend, but you can't let that swallow you up. You have to think about the wider world. Look around you. When was the last time you saw the town as quiet as this? We have to think about other things, Jessica. We can't just stampede through the town. We have to have a little bit of guile.”
“But I can't just leave her out there,” Jessica said.
“I know. I'm not saying you have to. I'm just saying that you should take a little time to think about what you're doing. Stay in the shadows. You don't know who could be lurking out here. You've already been chased once, and it probably won't be the last time. Here, take this,” he said, and rummaged through his bag to find a can of mace.
Jessica took it, eyes widened. “What is this?” she asked.
“It's some mace, just in case we get separated. You should have something to defend yourself with.”
“What else have you got in that magic bag?” she said, placing the can of mace in her back pocket.
“It's not magic, just preparedness. I wish I had more, to be honest with you. Like an inhaler.”
Jessica nodded. She went to move away, but Tillman reached out a hand to grab her back.
“One other thing,” he said. “I know you really want to see Tanya, but don't forget about Anthony. He's injured, and he can't move as quickly as you would like. If we get into a dangerous situation, it's going to be difficult for him to run away. He'll want to impress you--”
“Come on, Uncle Tillman! Anthony isn't that kind of guy. He wouldn't do something stupid just to impress me.”
“Jessica, believe me, any guy is going to do something stupid to impress a girl they like. All I'm saying is be aware of that, because he might not let on how much his leg is really hurting him.”
A pensive look came over Jessica's face as she looked back toward Anthony.
“I guess maybe you're right,” she said.
“You know it. Now let's go find Tanya, then we can get the hell out of here,” Tillman said. Anthony limped up to them and Major whimpered.
“You can't be hungry again already?!” Tillman said. Major looked at him with an imploring expression. Tillman shook his head and pulled out the jar of jerky. “I'm sorry, buddy, but we're all out.”
He tipped the jar upside down to show Major that no meat was falling out. The dog didn't seem to understand, though. He leaped up as high as he could, which wasn't that high at all, and tried to get his jaws into the jar, for he still could smell the meat. Tillman tossed the jar away. It skittered on the ground. Major scampered after it and nuzzled the opening, convinced there still was treasure to be found.
Tillman yanked the leash and practically had to drag Major away. The dog resisted as best it could, but Tillman was too strong. Major had to leave the empty jar of jerky behind to follow his new master.
Chapter Nine
Jessica seemed to be wanting to walk faster than everybody else. Anthony was struggling behind, and Tillman was trying to stay back to make him feel supported. Major still seemed to be moping about the jerky.
As Tillman looked at Jessica he thought about how much of her father was in her, and it worried him. He wondered how much she remembered of Javier. She was very young when he left, when Morelle was destroyed and forced to move back in with their parents. Kids were perceptive, though. It was likely that deep in the recesses of Jessica's mind a dark memory of her father haunted her, just as it haunted Tillman.
The way she had glared at him, the way she moved without thought to anyone else around her, worried him. Those weren't her mother's qualities, and only could have come from her father. Morelle was a sweet, compassionate, kind soul who never would cause anyone any harm. Her intentions were pure and good. Tillman never had known there to be a more innocent creature to walk the Earth. Javier, on the other hand, was a stark contrast, and Tillman worried that this world would bring out the worst in Jessica. He would have to keep a close eye on her to ensure that she didn't fall.
Tillman thought back to the time when he had met Javier. Javier wasn't from this town, he was from the one over, but had visited here with some friends. He and Morelle had met at one of the festivals. Spirits were high, there was excitement all over the town, and sparks had flown between the two of them. Tillman remembered liking Javier when he first met the man. Morelle had been so nervous to bring him around the house, but the first meeting had gone superbly. Sadly, it was not a portent of what was to follow.
Javier had had slick, thick hair, and a swarthy complexion. His teeth gleamed when he smiled, and he could talk about practically anything. When he spoke, he managed to make people feel spellbound, and it was this quality that first had enchanted Morelle. There was some consternation at first because Javier was a few years older than Morelle, but to her it was a positive, since so many young boys were i
mmature and didn't really know what they wanted from a relationship. According to Morelle, Javier wanted to get married, wanted to have a family, wanted to have the idyllic life that so many people dreamed about. It almost seemed too good to be true and, unfortunately, that turned out to be the case.
Tillman had been too preoccupied with his fledgling career and his heartbreak over Angela at the time to pay too much attention to his sister's romance. As far as he was concerned it wasn't any of his business, but as events unfolded he cursed himself for not being more involved. Javier wasn't just the charming, suave man that he appeared to be. There was a dark side to him, a shadow staining his soul, and it was this that had caused Morelle such distress.
In many ways it was a classic story of beauty and the beast. Tillman wondered how much misery that fable had caused people, encouraging girls that if they just gave a monster a chance he would transform into a prince. The reality was that the monster just terrorized the princess and made it impossible for her to have a good life, as was the case with Morelle. She thought she could smooth away Javier's rough edges, but it proved to be an impossible task.
Since Tillman had been traveling, competing in various competitions across the country, he hadn't known exactly what had happened. Sometimes when he returned Morelle was in the depths of despair, and other times she was elated. She always had been the quiet sort, and while she and Tillman were close, she didn't confide too closely in him about personal matters. However, it wasn't difficult to sift through some of the information to figure out what really had been going on.
Tillman had learned that Javier had cheated on Morelle. Living in a different place afforded Javier the opportunity to live different lives. He was a playboy, a scoundrel, yet that wasn't enough to force Morelle to end things with him. Morelle, unfortunately, never had been strong inside. She always was afraid of being alone and clung to those stronger than her. In Javier she saw a man who would protect her, who would keep her safe, all because she thought that being with someone was better than being alone. Her fear drove her into the arms of Javier, and all it cost was her soul.