by E A Chance
Coop stood taller and straightened his shirt. “I’m going to be a dad. Riley’s pregnant.”
They turned their eyes on Riley and stared in stunned silence. She fidgeted and said, “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
“Reckless,” Adrian mumbled. “Mark my words. This will be problematic.”
Coop glared at him, so Adrian clamped his lips and bowed his head.
Brooks made a sweep of his arm toward the city. “Are you two crazy? How could think bringing a baby into this insanity was a good idea?”
Dashay smacked him on the shoulder, then threw her arms around Riley. “Ignore Brooks. Congratulations!”
Coop beamed at her. “This wasn’t exactly on our to-do list, Brooks, but we’re thrilled and scared out of our wits.”
Dashay stepped away and studied Riley. “I wouldn’t call that face thrilled.”
“Morning sickness,” Coop said.
“Get me out of this thing,” Nico called from the litter. While Brooks and Adrian unstrapped him, he said, “Congratulations, man. This world needs new life. I’m happy for you two.”
Brooks helped him off the litter and supported him while he walked to a low concrete wall. Nico lowered himself onto it with a groan.
“Thanks, Nico,” Riley said. “You’re walking better. You won’t need that litter once we reach the city.”
“Gracias a Dios. I can’t stand that thing for one more day. I feel like the inside of a burrito.”
Brooks put a hand on his shoulder. “If we hoof it, we might make it by sundown. Can you handle that, Riley?”
She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “I’m pregnant, not fragile. The next person who treats me like a delicate flower will get my boot.”
Brooks held his hands up in surrender. “Deal. I know better than to cross you. I’m sorry for what I said about the baby. Great news.”
Riley eyed him coolly but nodded her thanks. Their reaction to her news was what she’d expected. It would make life easier for them to know, but it also made it feel more real for Riley. The last thing she’d planning on for their cross-country trek was to carry an additional little passenger, especially in the heat of summer.
Coop walked to the edge of the hill where Riley had stood moments earlier and gave a low whistle. “Look at that.”
Riley moved closer and gazed at the scene below in wonder. Rays of the setting sun glowed in the gold-plated dome of the West Virginia capitol building, which rose above the Kanawha River. The picturesque city lay nestled between the river and the hills and fanned out through treelined streets. The sight was so enticing that Riley was tempted to run all the way to Charleston.
Dashay stepped beside Riley and squeezed her hand. “Why haven’t I heard of this place? It looks gorgeous from here.”
Brooks pointed toward the highway entrance just east of the city. “It may look it from here, but what’s happening on that road isn’t so pretty.”
Riley shifted her gaze in the direction Brooks pointed. Men and women in a hodgepodge of uniforms were constructing a barricade, while others wielding a variety of weapons stood guard. Riley surveyed the valley and saw similar barriers at every visible entrance into Charleston.
“That’s trouble,” Coop said.
“What are you seeing?” Nico asked. “Help me over there, Brooks.”
Brooks and Adrian helped Nico to the edge, where he silently surveyed the view. “Are they keeping people in or out?”
“Both, most likely,” Adrian said.
Coop turned his back to the city and patted Echo. “Only one way to know. Let’s get down there.”
Dashay followed him and shouldered her pack. “Is that safe? Should we wait until morning?”
“Could be worse by then, and we all need a break,” Brooks said. “I say we risk it.”
Dashay followed him to help get Nico strapped into the litter while Riley anxiously stared at the scene unfolding below them, recalling another barricade early in their journey. That had gone horribly wrong and almost resulted in her losing Coop and Julia. She hoped this time would bring a better ending. Coop gave her a quick glance as he passed and guided Echo toward a trail leading down the hill. His look told her he was recalling the same memory.
She got into step behind him and started whistling Heigh Ho from Snow White. Another shared memory. Coop winked, then whistled along with her. The others joined in except for Adrian, who clearly considered himself above such childish things. When she realized he hadn’t bothered to congratulate them or apologize for his thoughtless comment, she linked her arm in his and sang all the louder.
Chapter Five
Riley and her companions reached the base of the hill an hour later, along with a massive road-worn throng of humanity. A line of people desperate to enter Charleston stretched for more than a mile from the barricade. Riley’s anxiety reached a fever pitch at being hemmed in by the massive crowd. Though she’d looked forward to getting back to civilization, this was far more than she’d expected. Biscuit wasn’t any happier with the jostling crowd and nervously shifted his weight on his hooves as the line crawled ahead at a snail’s pace. Riley was relieved they’d strapped Nico’s litter to Echo to give Biscuit a break.
Coop tapped Riley’s shoulder, making her flinch. “Stand still. You’re making me antsy.”
“Should we find another way to get in?” she asked. “There might be a less crowded entrance.”
He took his pack off and handed it to her. “I’ll climb on Echo’s back to get a better look. Hold him still.”
Riley took Echo’s rein and watched nervously as Coop climbed to his knees in the saddle. Echo didn’t like it either and took a step forward. The movement threw Coop off balance, but he caught himself before tumbling to the ground.
“Whoa, boy,” Riley whispered in Echo’s ear as Coop righted himself. She patted his neck until he settled.
“What do you see?” Brooks called to Coop.
He jumped down without answering and shook his head. “Looks like a thousand others had the same idea. Going around would be a waste of time. We’re better off trying to get in through this gate. Adrian, make yourself useful and break out something for us to eat while we wait.”
Adrian reluctantly obeyed and handed Riley some Bear jerky and wild strawberries before giving the others their food.
When she wrinkled her nose, he said, “I know you’re tired of this food, but you need to increase your caloric and nutrient intake for the baby, especially if you’re having morning sickness.”
She studied him for a moment, then took a bite of the jerky, supposing that was his way of apologizing. She swallowed the meat with a gulp of water, and said, “I’m the medical doctor and this is my fourth pregnancy, but I appreciate the thought.”
“I just want to ensure you stay healthy. We need you.”
“Thanks for your concern,” she mumbled as he walked toward Dashay and handed her some food.
While Riley ate, she worked to calm her mind and accept their situation. Getting worked into a panic wouldn’t help anyone. She went to Biscuit and fed him some berries, then stroked him between his eyes. He immediately quieted and tilted his head for her to scratch behind his ear. Petting him relaxed her, too. She turned her thoughts to wondering what awaited them once they passed that mysterious barrier.
They were close enough after three hours for Riley to see the five men manning the gateway to Charleston. They wore army fatigues but didn’t appear to be active-duty military. Two of them held clipboards, and the other three stood guard with rifles. Riley wondered how many more guards watched from inside the barricade.
When they finally reached the entrance, Riley stepped between Coop and Brooks as they approached the men with the clipboards.
Coop put out his hand and flashed his friendliest grin. “Evening, gentlemen. I’m Coop. This is Riley and Brooks. We’d like to enter your fine city.”
The man closest to Coop ignored his offer of a handshake and looked
at him over the top of his glasses. “We’ll be glad to have you if you meet our requirements.”
Riley felt a chill on the back of her neck as Coop shot her a quick glance. They’d been through that scenario more than once. Never with favorable results.
Brooks stepped closer to the man. “What requirements?”
“We can’t accept every person who wants in, unfortunately. Charleston can’t support it. To be admitted, you must exchange something of value. By the looks of your group, other than the horses, you don’t have much to offer.”
“Looks can deceive,” Coop said, still grinning. “What is it you need most?”
“Food or similar commodities are always at the top of the list. I can see you don’t have those. After that, what we require most now is military knowhow, engineering skills, and medical knowledge and supplies.”
Brooks opened his mouth to speak, but Coop held up his hand to stop him. “We’re traveling to the west and don’t plan to stay. We just need to restock our provisions. My wife is pregnant, and we have an injured man with us. Will you help us? We’ll give what we can, then move on.”
“I’m sorry, but if you can’t offer something of specific value, we can’t let you enter. Since it’s after dark, there’s a refugee camp on the far side of the city. You can get a meal and a safe night’s sleep. Nothing more.”
Brooks pulled the rifle off his shoulder, but held it lowered in front of him. “Not good enough. We’ve traveled a long way and need your help.”
“Brooks,” Coop barked, “put that gun back on your shoulder.” He held his hands up in surrender. “I apologize for my companion. He’s just exhausted and hungry. I’m sure we can negotiate.”
“These two are surgeons,” Brooks blurted before Coop could stop him. Riley cringed and glared at him. Brooks cocked his thumb over his shoulder at Dashay. “That woman is an experienced nurse, and the man on the litter is an army medic. The mousey one there is an astrophysicist and I have good mechanical skills. All of us are good shots except for the mousey one. Good enough for you?”
The man with the glasses studied Coop for a moment. “Is what he says true?” Coop hesitated for a second before nodding. “Why didn’t you just say that? Come in and move to that table to the left. Maggie will take your information. You can tie the horses to the tree by that bench. Welcome to Charleston.”
The other men opened the barrier and waved them through.
Once they were inside, Riley grabbed the front of Brooks’ jacket and pulled his face close to hers. “Why did you tell them that? Now, they won’t let us leave. I’ve been a hostage once before, if you recall. I’m not in a hurry to do it again.”
Brooks gently removed her hand from his jacket and stepped back. “First, I had no choice. I’ve been the one on the other side of the barrier. They would never have let us in unless we had something of worth to offer. Second, I don’t think we’re hostages. We’ll stay until Nico recovers and give them what they want. Then, we’ll take what we need and go.”
Riley crossed her arms and didn’t back down. “It wasn’t your place to reveal information about us. Tell them whatever you want about yourself. I won’t be forced to stay here and run their hospital. I just want to go home.”
Her voice broke, and Coop put his arms around her.
Dashay stepped in front of Brooks. “Riley’s right. You should have asked before speaking up, but it’s done. We’re inside. We might as well make the best of it. Nico’s deteriorating. We need to get him off that litter and somewhere where he can rest. I know you aren’t fragile, Riley, but you need to take extra care of yourself.”
Riley pulled away from Coop and said, “Let’s get signed in.”
They found a middle-aged woman with soft features but sharp eyes, wearing a pinned-on nametag that read Maggie, seated at a six-foot folding table. She handed each of them forms and pens, then gestured to another table for them to fill out the forms. Riley found an empty clipboard and fastened Nico’s form to it before handing it to him. She sat down next to Coop to fill out her form in the light of a solar powered spotlight.
Adrian was inspecting his form instead of filling it out. “What are you looking for?” Dashay asked him.
“These were created on a typewriter and copied on a mimeograph machine. Where on earth did they find those machines?”
“In a museum?” Coop said.
“But where did they get the fluid or the typewriter ribbon?”
Riley rubbed her forehead where a headache was starting. “What does it matter? Just fill it out so we can find out what they’re going to do with us. You can spend all day investigating tomorrow.”
Adrian frowned at her. “Testy, are we? I found it remarkable. They’re adapting well here.”
Riley started reading her form without responding to him. She’d had about as much of Dr. Adrian Landry as she could stand and hoped they could ditch him in Charleston. The thought of crossing the country with him made her jaw clench.
The top of the form asked the usual questions she expected, such as her name, age and where she’d come from. As she moved down the sheet, the questions became more pointed and personal. They asked about her mental and physical status, loved ones she’d lost and her opinion of their new president’s Residential Zone Initiative.
Brooks raised his form and shook it in the air. “What the hell is this? I’m not answering these questions.”
Riley raised an eyebrow. “You were the one all fired up to get in here. How does it feel to be on the other side of the clipboard?”
“Just answer the questions,” Dashay said, calmly. “What will it matter once we’re gone in a few days? It’s not like your info will show up on the dark web.”
“Good point,” Brooks said, and finished answering the questions.
Coop collected all their forms and handed them to Maggie. She flipped through the papers, thanked them and pointed to two men waiting behind another table piled with pillows and olive-green blankets.
“Tim and Dennis there will give you your allotted provisions and take you to your assigned quarters. There is a mandatory orientation tomorrow morning at eight in front of the capitol. A basic breakfast will be provided. Have a good night,” she said, then turned to the next group coming up behind them.
Coop smiled at Riley, and sang, “Heigh ho, it’s off to Tim and Dennis we go.”
Riley couldn’t help but chuckle despite her irritation and exhaustion. She followed him to the table and waited for instructions, deciding it wasn’t so bad having others tell her what to do for once.
The man with the Tim nametag stepped toward her. He was about six-seven and as thin as a beanpole with short curly hair. He reminded her of a waving balloon man in front of a car dealership. Dennis was a foot shorter and round as a basketball. Riley had to bite her cheek to keep from giggling at the sight of them. I need sleep, she thought as she stepped to the table.
“Do you need pillows and blankets, or do you have your own?” he asked.
“We have our own, but they’re filthy. Can we still have clean ones?”
He handed her two blankets and a pillow with a faint smell of bleach. “Of course. What about toiletries?”
“Do you have tooth paste and deodorant?”
He bent down and pulled a gallon-sized bag filled with every kind of toiletry she could imagine. She took it, restraining herself from kissing the bag in front of him.
With their supplies in hand, Coop retrieved the horses, and they followed Tim and Dennis a good half-mile to a quiet, tree-lined street. A block further down, the men turned and led them up the steps to a plain, two-story house.
As Tim unlocked the front door, he said, “There’s a fence and room for the horses out back. In the morning, we’ll locate some hay, but there’s a creek they can drink from at the edge of the property. It’s outside the fence, so you’ll have to lead them.”
Coop and Riley tied them to a tree in the front yard for the time being, and after helping Nico
out of the litter, went in with the others. They got Nico to the living room sofa, then waited for more instructions.
“We hope you don’t mind sharing the house,” Dennis said. “There are four bedrooms. The master is on the first floor, so your sick friend won’t have to climb stairs. The house has a working generator, but use is restricted to scheduled times. Your assigned time slots will be in the welcome information you’ll receive at orientation.”
“What about water?” Adrian asked.
“The pumps run on solar power, so you’ll have running water, but it will be cold.”
“Good,” Coop said. “Is it drinkable?”
“No, but it’s for bathing. There’s bottled water in the kitchen.”
Tim waved his hand to get Dennis’ attention. “Don’t forget to tell them about the food.”
“Right. It’s too late for a hot meal, but there are light snacks in the kitchen to get you through until morning. You’ll be able to shop tomorrow. Questions?”
The six of them stared at Tim and Dennis in disbelief.
“No questions,” Riley whispered. “Thank you for your generosity. It’s the first we’ve seen since the CME.”
Tim shook her hand. “Our pleasure, Dr. Poole.”
“Dr. Cooper,” Coop said.
Tim glanced at Riley’s form. “My apologies. She listed her name as Poole.”
Dashay smile at him. “They just got married.”
Riley blushed. “Force of habit, but you can call me Riley to avoid confusion with two Doctor Coopers.”
“And I’m Coop,” he said and held out his hand.
Tim and Dennis each shook his hand, then left them alone.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Riley and Dashay ran to the kitchen and started rifling through the boxes of food on the table. There were packets of cheese and crackers, cans of beans and tuna, and fruit leather, just for a start. They carried the boxes into the living room and sat around them on the floor, stuffing their faces.
Dashay reached into a box, then shrieked in delight. She pulled out a box of glazed donuts and held it up for the others to see. “There are six, one for each of us.”