“There are still boats out there,” Ken said, pointing toward the lake.
Jimmy could see that the lake had become an angry mass of whitecaps. The fishing boats tied at the dock were rolling and crashing with the waves. Farther out across that boiling water were at least two boats attempting to make it back to shore. “They would’ve been better off riding it out from the other side of the lake,” Jimmy said in a loud voice.
“Yep,” agreed Ken. “Damn fools,” he added, just as a huge lightning bolt crashed into one of the pines down by the lake. A monstrous clap of thunder immediately followed.
Wind whipped the tall pines, and they began to sway at impossible angles. Jimmy was sure they would snap like matchsticks. Jimmy and Ken continued to watch the bobbing boats fighting their way back to shore. One of the larger boat had covered quite a distance in a short amount of time, the hull slapping up and down against the waves. Two dark forms stood behind the windshield, undoubtedly hanging on for their lives. The other boat, a fourteen footer, was chugging along in the distance. Jimmy could count three people in that boat, one at the back steering the little outboard, the other two huddled together in the middle. Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, and the following crash was ear splitting. The sky then seemed to open up, and rain began to fall in sheets.
Ken pulled down on the overhead door, and it fell with a heavy thud. He turned to Jimmy. “I’m going to check on the others,” he said. “Don’t open this up until the storm has passed.”
Jimmy nodded, standing at the wooden door and peering out the smeared window. He couldn’t see the lake anymore, only the dark outline of trees dancing at the shoreline. The big door was old, and didn’t fit tightly to the concrete floor; water seeped in from under the gap. Jimmy turned and found that he was alone in the garage; the others had followed Ken through the service door into the crowded basement.
Jimmy strained his eyes trying to see through the murk out to the lake. He rubbed at the window which had begun to steam up. It was useless; the pouring rain had now obscured everything beyond twenty feet of the door. Thunder rattled the windows, and Jimmy could hear children crying from beyond the service door. He hoped those unfortunate boaters had made it to shore. He stood glued to his spot, waiting out the storm and dreading what it’d reveal.
A soft hand gripped his waist, and Jimmy jumped. “Relax, it’s only me,” Julie said, joining him at the window. “Some storm, huh?”
“Sure is,” agreed Jimmy. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thanks,” Julie said with a smile. She stood at his side and reached her arm around his waist.
Jimmy could feel her warmth and thought about pulling away. He knew that he should. He didn’t want to lead her on, yet he didn’t move. The two of them stood there for a long minute as the storm raged outside the window. The house shook with another blast from the sky as the wind howled.
“I’m scared, Jimmy,” Julie said, pulling herself even closer. “Hold me?”
Jimmy knew this was the wrong thing to do, but even as he was thinking that he reached his arm around Julie and put his hand on her hip. She smiled and buried her head into his shoulder. Jimmy stood there looking out into the gloom. Lightning flashed, and Jimmy winced, watching the bright blue bolt hit the tall pine at the end of the driveway. There was a loud crack, and the tall tree fell in a heap. He couldn’t see what it’d fallen upon; he only knew that it had definitely hit someone’s vehicle, probably more than one.
Julie pulled herself even closer as if she were trying to crawl under his skin.
Jimmy didn’t know how it’d happened. One minute he’d been looking out the window, and the next he was looking into Julie’s eyes. She looked frightened, yet there was something else there. She reached her hand up to the back of his head and pulled it slowly down to her own. He stopped just short of her face, her brown eyes looking longingly into his own with their lips an inch apart. “We shouldn’t do this,” he said in a whisper.
Julie pressed his face into her own and kissed him. Jimmy gave in and returned the kiss, stroking her back as they stood in the darkness. He knew this was wrong, yet he felt powerless to stop. Julie held him close and groaned softly. The sensation was overpowering. The kiss was unique in a way that only former lovers can understand. A minute passed, and then another.
The door banged open from behind them and Jimmy jumped, quickly pulling away. It was Patty, and she looked frazzled. “Have you seen Ken?” she asked, her voice breaking.
“No,” said Jimmy. “I thought he was inside with you!”
“He went upstairs. When he didn’t come back down, I went up to check on him. He’s not there, Jimmy. He’s out in the storm! What the heck is he doing out there? Has he lost his mind?”
“Oh, no,” Jimmy said, turning to look out the window. He suddenly understood what Ken had done and shuddered.
“What?” asked Julie.
“Where did he go?” pleaded Patty.
“Stand back,” Jimmy said, heaving up on the door. “Do not let anyone out. Do you understand me? I think Ken is down at the lake. There were a couple of boats out on the water!”
Julie began to protest, but Jimmy was already outside and closing the heavy door behind him. Cold rain lashed at his back, and the wind sang in the trees. He turned and ran in the direction of the lake, instantly soaked by the driving rain. He squinted, running blindly down the driveway as fast as his legs would carry him. He stopped suddenly; the tall pine had fallen directly across the driveway, crushing two cars under its massive weight. Jimmy skirted the tree, all the while trying to catch a glimpse of the shoreline. The splayed branches fanned back and forth, creating a wall of pine needles that blotted out anything beyond. Jimmy held his hand over his face, trying to protect his eyes. Finally, he reached the top of the tree and dashed around it, sprinting toward the lake.
He could now see the dock, and even from two hundred feet away, he could see that there were now only two boats tethered there. Jimmy’s heart pounded in his chest. Ken must’ve taken the Crestliner out to rescue those in the small fishing boat. Jimmy hit the dock at a full run, his tennis shoes slapping on the wet slats. He nearly fell headlong into the choppy water as he skidded to a halt at the end of the dock. Through the pelting rain he could just make out Ken in his boat pulling someone from the water. There was no sign of the little fishing boat. Jimmy knew that it must’ve been swamped.
He looked down the shoreline to Sally’s much longer dock; the big deck at the end was crowded with dark shapes in rain gear. Jimmy cursed the group which he felt should be out rescuing their own. Jimmy returned his attention to Ken. He had hauled the small form out of the water and was already guiding his boat toward another form that bobbed on the whitecaps. Ken’s boat crashed up and down on the waves, the Mercury outboard groaning in the distance. Jimmy stared helplessly, watching with pride as Ken pulled alongside the other body in the water. Jimmy tensed as Ken suddenly sprang from the controls and reached down to the outstretched arms. “Come on. Come on!” pleaded Jimmy.
Ken heaved, and the body nearly shot out of the water. Jimmy could see that the life vest held a small child of about five or six. Ken’s boat now held two of the three stricken passengers. Jimmy scanned the water around Ken’s boat. There was no sign of the third boater. Ken returned quickly to the wheel and began to circle the Crestliner head down, searching the water.
A huge blast of wind nearly toppled Jimmy where he stood, and he hunkered down next to an old tire that hung on a dock post which he gripped tightly. He watched as Ken continued to slowly make circles in the big Crestliner.
The small child suddenly stood up and pointed down into the water. Jimmy could just make out a hand sticking out from the waves. Jimmy’s heart leapt. He watched Ken scramble to the shore side of the boat and reach down to grip the hand. He doubled over, the boat leaning precariously with their combined weight. A man’s torso appeared; he wasn’t wearing a life jacket. He grabbed at the side of the boa
t and hung there for a second, obviously exhausted. Ken reached down and heaved the man out of the water by the back of his pants, throwing him over the side unceremoniously. The other two passengers seemed to fall on top of the man, and Ken was back at the controls, gunning the Mercury toward shore.
Jimmy pumped his fist and let out a whoop. Ken had just saved three lives and was motoring them toward the other dock. Even through the wind and the screaming outboard, he could hear the cheers of those that waited on Sally’s dock.
“That man’s going to give me a heart attack!”
Jimmy turned his head, and there was Patty, wearing a sky-blue rain slicker with the hood pulled up. “Did you see that?” he asked. “Can you believe it?”
Patty just nodded and held her hands up to her chest. Ken was pulling up to the end of Sally’s dock where the crowd waited. Jimmy could see more people from their group waiting anxiously on the shore. The rain was beginning to subside, and most of the lightning strikes were coming from across the lake. Even the wind, which a moment before had been howling at gale force, had now slackened to a steady breeze. Ken unloaded his passengers and quickly throttled up the Mercury, waving nonchalantly as he motored back to his own dock.
Jimmy caught the boat as Ken expertly guided it to its berth. He tied off the lines. All the while, Patty stood with her hands on her hips, her face white and cold as stone. Ken cut the engine and wiped the water from his face.
“I will talk to you in the house!” Patty said, obviously relieved, yet still quite irritated at Ken’s compulsive act. She turned and marched back toward the house. Patty’s footsteps trundling in retreat down the wet runners.
“Patty,” Ken said. “What was I supposed to do?”
Patty stopped at the end of the dock and waited there. Tears ran down her face.
Jimmy felt like he was intruding and quickly stood and gave Ken a quick thumbs up. He smiled and gave Jimmy a wink. Ken then took off his wet life jacket and tossed it down on the hull of the boat. He was completely soaked. Jimmy turned and walked toward Patty. He wanted to give them the time they needed to sort things out. He had some sorting out of his own to do.
Suddenly the sky exploded. A rogue bolt of lightning slammed into the end of the dock with such intensity that the section burst into flames. Both Ken and Jimmy were knocked off their feet, with Ken taking the brunt of the blast. How Jimmy had remained on the dock was a miracle in itself, for he had been thrown as if he’d stepped on a land mine. He landed in a heap five feet from where he’d stood only a second before.
Patty screamed.
Jimmy rose unsteadily to his feet, ozone and burning wood stinging his nostrils. He checked his arms and legs. He felt odd, as if he were watching this from outside his body. He quickly gathered his senses and ran back to the Crestliner.
Ken was slumped over his captain’s chair. His hair was singed, and his face was the color of charcoal. Jimmy screamed for help.
The storm had now blown across the lake, and the sun peeked out from under the last of the dark clouds. Wispy white puffs of cloud floated by as if on wings. The whitecaps were gone, and the lake began to grow still. A loon called in the distance.
Patty stood stock still, rooted to the same place she’d been before the lightning bolt had fallen from the sky. She was in deep shock.
Jimmy screamed again. They needed help, and they needed it now.
Ten
How prepared would you be if hyperinflation were to strike tomorrow? Would you have a plan in place for your family if telecommunications ceased to exist? Would you have something of value to barter with? How would you protect what you have?
Jimmy woke up in the familiar little bedroom upstairs at just past six the following morning. Julie was there as was Cindy and a man Jimmy didn’t recognize. “Ken?” he asked, weakly.
“He’s still alive,” Julie said, clutching his hand, tears running down her cheeks.
“How do you feel?” asked Cindy, the relief evident in her smile. “You passed out down on the dock.”
“I’m okay,” Jimmy said, his tongue feeling thick and dry.
The stranger stood and introduced himself. “I’m Mark Lowry,” he said in a quiet voice. “It’s nice to have you back, Jimmy.” He was a tall, thin man with a hawkish nose. He lifted Jimmy’s hand and gripped it tightly. “I’m from next door. I was out there when the lightning struck. You’re lucky to be alive.”
“Lucky,” Jimmy repeated. He didn’t feel lucky. He felt like he’d been tossed into a commercial dryer and tumbled for a day. He ached everywhere, and his vision was still blurry. He blinked rapidly, hoping that might help clear things up.
“I’m a paramedic,” Lowry continued. “I guess I’m the closest thing we have to a doctor at the present time, and I’d like to give you a quick exam. Is that all right with you?”
Jimmy nodded and Lowry began with his examination. He prodded and poked, had Jimmy follow his finger with his eyes and asked him a few simple questions.
“That’s it,” Lowry said. “I’m not a doctor, but I’d venture to say that you’ll be fine. Normally I’d tell you to go see your doctor, but that doesn’t seem possible at the moment. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got another patient to attend to.”
“Thanks,” Jimmy said.
“Thank you, Mark,” said Julie, shaking his hand briskly. “Thank you very much.”
Lowry smiled and quickly left the room. And that was when Jimmy finally noticed Cindy, or he at least noticed the makeover she’d been given. She sat at the end of the bed with her hands folded in her lap. Jimmy rubbed his eyes and attempted to whistle. “Look at you,” he said. “Holy smokes.”
Cindy blushed. The black clothes were gone as was the black hair dye. Her amber hair had been freshly cut, and her face had been painted with just a touch of makeup. She wore a white blouse over a pair of denim shorts, and the transformation couldn’t have been more dramatic. “Thanks,” she said. “What do you think of the new me?”
Jimmy smiled and held out his arms. Cindy hopped down from the bed and gave him a hug, kissing his cheek. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I… We were all worried about you.”
“You look lovely,” Jimmy whispered into her ear. “The boys aren’t going to leave you alone.”
“Yeah, right!” exclaimed Cindy.
“He’s right,” said Julie with a bright smile. “I’ve already seen them checking you out.”
“Oh,” said Cindy, clearly uncomfortable talking about such things with two old people, such as Julie and Jimmy. “I’ve got to go now… I think I hear my mother calling.”
“Very funny,” said Jimmy.
Cindy waved and walked out the door, her footsteps creaking across the carpet sample rug. Julie reached out and took Jimmy’s hand and squeezed it tightly in her own. “I’m so happy you’re all right,” she said, a tear falling down her cheek. “Oh, Jimmy, I was so worried about you! Here, have some water. You need it.”
Jimmy took the offered glass and sipped slowly. The cool water felt wonderful and revived him even further. “Tell me about Ken,” Jimmy said, slowly turning his head to the window in case the news was bad. He dreaded what Julie was about to tell him, but he had to know.
“Well,” Julie said, pausing to collect her thoughts. “He’s still out of it. Mark thinks that he should see a doctor in Ely. Nobody has been to town in three days, and nobody knows what they’ll find once they get there. Still, Ken has to see a doctor. We’ve got to find one and soon.”
Jimmy sat up in bed, and his head swam with the effort. He took a few deep breaths and tried to move his feet from under the blankets. The room began to spin, and he fell back onto the pillows, his energy spent.
“Get some rest, honey,” Julie said, stroking Jimmy’s hair. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be here.”
Jimmy would sleep until the sun was high in the sky. And Julie, true to her word, was there when he opened his eyes.
Eleven
Your constitutional rights
may be suspended indefinitely during a National Emergency. Avoid areas of civil unrest and hold whatever cards you may still have close to your chest. Loose lips do indeed sink ships. Try not to sabotage your own.
“Gone?” Jimmy asked. “What do you mean, they’re gone?”
“They took Ken out on a board and loaded him into a van. Patty and that paramedic from next door took him to Ely. I guess Ken and Patty are good friends with a doctor in town. He needed to see one, Jimmy. He’s in bad shape.”
Jimmy sat up. He felt light-headed but much better than he’d felt the night before. He was hungry and needed a cup of coffee and a smoke. “I’m going to get up,” he said. “What’s everyone doing?”
Julie stood up and stretched. She looked very tired, as if she hadn’t slept in days. “A lot of people are down at the lake or over at that old lady’s place,” she said, stifling a yawn. “Everyone is just sort of hanging out, waiting. The weather has been just gorgeous. I think your friend Bill and some other guys are out fishing.”
“What about the wall?”
“No one’s worked on it since the accident.”
Jimmy frowned. That was bad news. Without Ken and Patty’s leadership, their little community was coming apart at the seams. The wall was important—Jimmy was sure of it. No one knew what was out there. They had to protect themselves from the unknown, paranoid as that might sound. He’d get some food in his belly and try to organize the men. The group needed leadership from someone.
Jimmy stood. He was dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of ill-fitting swim trunks. He didn’t want to think about how he’d gotten into them. “Why don’t you trade places with me?” he asked. “You look tired, and this is the most comfortable bed in the house.”
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