Desperate Times

by Nicholas Antinozzi

  “Get your things,” said Jimmy. “You can stay with me.”

  Cindy sprinted across the lawn. If she thought her dad was going to fight with her over her decision, she was sadly mistaken. Bill, like many of the others, completely ignored those who had chosen to stay. They loaded up their vehicles with their gear, and one by one they drove out of Ken’s yard and onto Sally’s property. The sun was just beginning to set as the last car drove away.

  Jon and Jimmy stood on the front deck, watching the exodus with mixed emotions. Julie had taken Cindy upstairs. Now that the little bedroom was vacant, she helped Cindy ready the room and stow her meager belongings.

  “Well, what do you think?” Jimmy asked Jon, listening to the boisterous cheers from next door as if they were greeting a returning army.

  “I think we’d better finish that wall as soon as possible,” Jon said. “I think we’re going to need to protect ourselves from them,” he said, nodding his head toward Sally’s.

  “I was just thinking the same thing.”

  “Unless I’m wrong, they only invited our people over there for their food. Why else would they ask them to move over there?”

  Jimmy thought about that and agreed. “That doesn’t give us much time, does it?”

  “No, it doesn’t,” said Jon. “I’ve been thinking about that, and I think we’d better scale back on the wall. If we stop where we are and cut across the middle of the lawn, that’ll save us a few days at least. I’m sure Ken and Patty will understand. I also think we need to start earlier and work later. Dawn to dusk; that’s the only way we can get it finished.”

  “What about the others?”

  “Oh, they can see what’s coming. They’ll all help out. They didn’t pack up and leave.”

  “Did you mean that, about not letting them back in?”

  “I did,” said Jon, his expression serious. “We can’t take them back. You saw what they were like. No, they made their decision. Now they have to live with it. I’m sorry, Jimmy, it’s the only way.”

  Jimmy nodded. Music blared from Sally’s direction where the party was just getting started. Charcoal smoke drifted over, and Jimmy heard the ping of an aluminum bat whacking a baseball. He wondered if they didn’t have the right idea.

  “Let it go,” said Jon with a smile. “I can see those wheels turning, man. We made our choice too. Trust me, we made the right one.”

  The next five days were overcast and cool. The clouds misted rain from time to time, and the seventeen that remained from the original group worked from first light until it was nearly too dark to see. They broke for meals, allowing a half-hour siesta following lunch and dinner. They took advantage of every second of their rest time, and the short naps reinvigorated them all. Jon was the only one who still chose to sleep in a tent, although the house was large enough for all of them to sleep comfortably. Jimmy slept on one of the couches on the front porch, and Julie occupied the other. There were no more kisses, and neither one of them mentioned the one they had shared in the garage. Still, the awkwardness was gone, and they continued to be close. The truth was that they were too tired to think about anything beyond work and sleep. Cindy spent much of her time with Rita Lopez. Rita’s own children were grown and scattered across the country, and she adopted Cindy as if she were her own. Cindy had even warmed to Julie considerably. She would even crack jokes about the two of them sleeping together out on the porch.

  The crowd next door ebbed and flowed with the rain. They would appear from time to time, wordlessly inspecting their progress on the wall. Those who had left the group never said so much as a hello and they walked away with an aristocratic arrogance.

  There was no sign of Ken and Patty, and the group held on to the hope that they would return any day. The women kept the house tidy, the dishes clean and had the meals ready at their allotted times. They joined the men out in the woods whenever they could, working alongside them, doing whatever they could to help. The progress was slow but steady. Jon had been right about cutting off the last fifty feet of lawn and had saved them a lot of time. The last project was the main gate, and Jon came up with the idea of lashing the timbers together with heavy rope to form hinges on both ends. The gate was cumbersome, and it took two strong men to open and close each side.

  They closed the gate, securing the two sides together with a stout timber. Tired as they were, they all cheered when it fell into place. By and large they had completed the project, and their pride was evident as they spent the evening out in the drizzle, sipping beers and admiring their work. Together they strolled around the inside of their new compound. The wall was an impressive sight, and they all commented how much safer they felt now that it was finished.

  That safety would be tested the very next afternoon.

  Twelve

  Sixteen of the top twenty best days (highest percentage gains) on Wall Street came during the Depression.

  They slept in that day with the sun making an appearance for the first time in nearly a week. Jimmy woke up first, checking his watch for a second time to be sure it was really after eight. He sat up on his couch, scratched his head, feeling a slight hangover from the half dozen beers he’d had the night before. He looked over at Julie who was still fast asleep curled up under one of Patty’s quilts. Sunlight beamed in through the windows, and Jimmy stretched his sore muscles. Today would be one of rest; they’d all discussed it and agreed that they’d earned some down time.

  Jimmy padded in through the French doors and through the living room without waking anyone. In the kitchen he fixed a strong pot of coffee. He then waited for it to brew, watching a pair of cardinals cozy up to each other on the limb of a pine. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and from what he could tell, there was very little wind. It was going to be a beautiful morning. From overhead he heard the telltale stairs creaking softly as someone descended.

  “That smells wonderful,” said Rita, popping her head out of the doorway.

  “Almost done,” said Jimmy with a smile. “How do you take yours?”

  “A teaspoon of sugar, thanks,” answered Rita. She wore a fuzzy robe over tiger print pajamas, and her black hair was in total disarray. She stroked at it with her fingers but only managed to make it worse. “I can’t believe I slept so late,” she said. “I never sleep this late.”

  “Me, either,” said Jimmy, fixing two cups and handing one to Rita.

  “Thank you,” Rita said, taking the cup with both hands and sipping at it.

  A single gunshot cut through the morning silence. It had come from the back yard. Rita yelped, and her cup crashed to the floor.

  “Get down!” shouted Jimmy who was already moving toward the back door.

  Rita fell to her knees and crawled under the table.

  Jimmy threw open the door, and there was Jon, standing next to a picnic table, gun in hand. He looked very angry for someone who must’ve just gotten out of bed. His hair was standing on end, and his face was still creased from his pillow.

  “What are you shooting at?” Jimmy asked, his ears ringing while his heart thudded in his chest.

  Jon motioned with his gun toward Sally’s beyond the wall. “They were inside the perimeter, two, maybe three of them. They were after the food in the shed!”

  Jimmy looked at the open door to the shed and then to the wall. A box of food lay on its side in the grass. One of Ken’s ladders was standing at the wall, and Jimmy was relieved not to see a dead body lying next to it. “Did they go back over?”

  “Two did. I haven’t checked the shed yet.”

  “Our people?”

  Jon nodded again.

  From inside Jimmy could hear pounding footsteps in the house. He turned back and shouted, “Stay inside until we say it’s safe!”

  Jon jogged barefoot across the wet grass, leaving footprints in the morning dew. Jimmy followed, and they stopped just outside the shed door.

  “Come out of there,” Jon ordered, his gun trained on the open door.

  “D
on’t shoot,” begged an all too familiar voice from inside. It was Bill Huggins.

  “What the hell are you doing, Bill?” shouted Jimmy. “Get out here!”

  Bill emerged from the shed slowly with his hands up. In one of those hands was a candy bar.

  “Are you alone?” Jon asked, waving his gun toward the door behind him.

  Bill nodded, his eyes wide with fear.

  “Put the gun down, Jon,” Jimmy said, turning his attention to Bill. “What the hell were you doing in there? Stealing?”

  “We just wanted to borrow some food, that’s all,” said Bill. He bowed his head and dropped his hands in defeat. “We’re hungry.”

  Jimmy shook his head in disbelief.

  “That’s stealing!” retorted Jon. “You left of your own free will. You all did!”

  “I know,” said Bill. “I’m sorry.”

  “Well, sorry doesn’t cut it,” said Jon, his face contorted with rage. “The next time I won’t be firing warning shots. Do you understand me? Now, get back over that fence and tell your friends.”

  Bill nodded, taking a bite of his pilfered candy bar. “I’ve got some information if you want to hear it. One of our people was in Ely yesterday.”

  “Well?” asked Jimmy. “Spit it out.”

  “I will for some breakfast,” Bill said in a quiet voice. “You’ll want to hear this.”

  Jon looked as if he was going to shoot Bill where he stood. Veins throbbed in his neck, and his face contorted with rage.

  “It’s about Ken and Patty,” Bill added, looking hopeful.

  Jimmy nodded his head. “Fine,” he said, desperate to hear what Bill had to say. “We’ll fix you a sandwich, okay?”

  Bill looked down to the ground and slowly shook his head. “Bacon and eggs sounds better,” he said in a voice just over a whisper. “Trust me. It’s worth it.”

  Jon was nearly dancing with rage; he opened his mouth in a snarl and screamed silently. Jimmy thought that Bill might’ve just pushed him over the edge.

  “You want bacon and eggs?” Jon asked. “Fine, this had better be good, or breakfast will be the last thing you’re ever able to chew. Now spill it!”

  “After I eat,” Bill said. “Four eggs. Toast, too. Do you have any milk?”

  Jon’s head snapped back, and he marched toward Bill, the gun pointing right between his eyes.

  “You’d better do as he says, Bill. Tell us now,” said Jimmy.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you. Can I at least get a cup of coffee first?”

  “I’ll get it!” shouted Rita from inside. “We’re making his breakfast now. Do you guys want some eggs?”

  Jimmy and Jon exchanged exasperated looks. “Sure,” said Jimmy, rolling his eyes. Jon motioned Bill over to a picnic table; his face was the shade of a ripe tomato. Jimmy lit up a Camel and sat next to Jon, across from Bill who was just chewing the last of the candy bar. Bill looked at the wrapper as if he were going to just toss it aside, then wisely stuffed it into his shirt pocket. Rita and Cindy emerged from the house and brought three cups of coffee with them.

  “Hey, honey,” Bill said meekly. “How are you?”

  “Don’t honey me,” hissed Cindy. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed.” She slammed the cup down in front of him, spilling a great deal of coffee on the wooden table.

  “What’s with her?” Bill asked Jimmy.

  Jimmy could only shake his head. “Out with it,” he said. “What do you know about Ken and Patty? I’m not messing around here, Bill. We need to know.”

  “They’re alive,” said Bill, sipping his coffee. “Boy, that’s good. Could I just get a little more sugar, sweetie?”

  Cindy turned and stormed back into the house. Rita followed, giving Bill a look that could melt glass.

  Bill continued. “This guy—Buck, I think his name is—is the caretaker over at Sally’s place. Well, he took a bicycle into town last night. In the dark, you know?”

  “We get it, Bill. It was dark,” Jimmy said, urging Bill on with his hands.

  “Hey, does anyone here have any painkillers? I’m out, and my back is killing me.”

  “Finish your story,” said Jon between gritted teeth. “Now, or I’ll blow your goddam brains out!”

  “I was only asking,” said Bill. “My back really does hurt pretty bad. Anyhow, this Buck guy rode into town. He’s this big guy with long hair and tattoos. You know, like he’s done time? Well, he passes a few people on the road, and they all tell him to stay out of town. That it isn’t safe. Well, this Buck is a big guy, and he just keeps on riding. Crazy as hell. I don’t know how he was even able to see in the dark.”

  “Do you guys want bacon or sausage?” Julie asked from the kitchen window.

  “Either. Both,” said Jimmy, waving with his hand. “So he rides into town. Then what happened?”

  “I’m getting there,” said Bill. “Don’t rush me, Jimmy. It’s my story.”

  “You’d better get there soon,” spat Jon.

  Bill nodded, sipping his coffee. “He rides into town and parks the bike. I think he said that he hid it in some bushes or something. Then he’s walking along, keeping in the shadows. There wasn’t a light on in the entire town. He said it was creepy. I’ll bet it was. He walked all the way to the hospital. I don’t know why he went there. He wasn’t sick or anything. But that’s where he went. There were people there, people with guns. They were protecting it. Well, he said they almost shot him. He’s a big scary looking guy, and I suppose I might’ve shot him, too, sneaking up in the dark like that. Then Patty Dahlgren, of all people, comes outside and tells everyone that he’s okay. That she knows him!”

  Jimmy nodded. Bill was finally getting somewhere.

  “So, Buck, yep, that’s his name, all right. Buck. He asks Patty how Ken is because he knows Ken from working over at Sally’s. He also is the uncle of one of the boys that Ken saved that day. Small world, huh? It really makes you wonder sometime. Ah… here comes the food. I’m starving.”

  Julie and Cindy brought out three steaming plates and set them down in front of the men. Cindy couldn’t even look at Bill. He didn’t seem to mind. He picked up a piece of toast and stuffed half of it into his mouth. Cindy and Julie stood there for a second and then returned to the house. Jimmy guessed that they were listening from the windows. They probably all were.

  “Not another bite until you finish telling us your story. Do you got that?” Jon said, pointing the semiautomatic into Bill’s face. “Not another bite!”

  Bill chewed quickly, and then the story spilled out of him. “Patty told him that Ken was much better and that they might try to come back tomorrow, which is today. There’s been a lot of fighting in Ely, in all of the towns. A lot of people are dead. They formed a militia in Ely. They don’t want any outsiders up here. Buck was okay because he lives up here. Patty vouched for that. They’re turning everyone else away. They’ve got the road blocked.”

  “What about the police or National Guard?” Jon asked.

  “Nobody knows,” Bill said, eyeing the bacon on his plate. “News from the cities is really bad. I’m sorry, Jimmy.”

  “What?” Jimmy asked, feeling a lump rise in his throat.

  “A battle zone. Most of the cities have burned to the ground. Minneapolis is gone—most of it anyhow. That’s what Buck said.”

  “Oh, my God,” said Jimmy.

  “A lot of people tried to come up here. They stopped them outside of town at the Bear Lake Campground. They’re staying there. A thousand people, maybe more. They’re living off the land and whatever they were able to haul. The militia won’t let them pass. It’s a dangerous place. A whole lot of people are crammed in there like sardines. That’s what Buck said. Can I eat now? I’m starving.”

  Jimmy waved at Bill’s plate. “Eat,” he said.

  Bill didn’t need to be told twice. He attacked his food like a condemned prisoner. Egg yolk dripped down his chin.

  “What do you think?” Jon asked, picking up a p
iece of bacon.

  “I’ll be glad to see Ken and Patty,” said Jimmy, still reeling from Bill’s news about Minneapolis. He ignored his food and lit up a cigarette with unsteady hands.

  “That’s great news,” agreed Jon. “They’ll be glad to see what we’ve done. I’m not sure how they’ll feel about people like him,” he said, nodding his head toward Bill. “They might not like that we kicked them out. Ken will get it, buy Patty might not be quite as understanding.”

  Jimmy nodded. If Bill had heard Jon, he didn’t show it. Ken would understand; he was sure of that. He’d have wanted them to do exactly what they had done. Patty would be a different story. Her heart was too big to let her friends starve outside the wall. She was all about second chances. And she was the one who was really running the show, no matter what Ken thought. Everyone knew that. Yes, Jon was right. Patty would take them all back as soon as she returned. Jimmy was sure of it.

  “Are you going to eat that?” Bill asked, pointing to Jimmy’s plate.

  Jimmy returned his attention to the table where he found that Bill had already finished his breakfast. “Here,” Jimmy said, sliding his plate across the table. “I’m not hungry.” He got up and left Jon and Bill together at the table. He needed some time to himself. Minneapolis was gone? How could that be? What would Paula and her family have done? Could they still be there in Edina? Jimmy doubted it. If they’d burned Minneapolis, Edina couldn’t have fared much better. No, Stanley Peterson would’ve gotten his family out of there. At least he would’ve tried. Paula had been here at least four or five times, so she definitely knew the way. She knew that he was here. Could it be possible that Paula had persuaded her parents to head north? Jimmy thought so. Where else would they go? South to Des Moines? No, north would be the safest direction. He also thought that there was an outside chance, if they had made it this far, that they’d be stuck with the others at Bear Lake Campground.

  He walked the perimeter of the wall, stopping at the gate. He’d already made his decision. Like Buck, the caretaker, he’d go under the cover of night. He’d figure out how to get into the campground when the time came. He had to know. Somehow, if they were there, he’d find them. He couldn’t leave Paula there, and he knew he could never live with himself unless he attempted to rescue her. How would the others feel about what he was about to do? Would anyone want to accompany him on his trip? Did he want anyone else to risk their life for Paula and her family? No. He’d have to go alone. Would they try to stop him? Julie would. Jimmy was sure of that. She was going to hate him for what he was about to do. Could he blame her? How would he feel if the shoe was on the other foot?