Her name was Mary, an Atlanta native, born and raised. Estevez himself had brought her and her husband Greg to the camp. They’d survived thirty years of marriage and the initial quake in Atlanta. They’d even survived the explosion that had just claimed so many lives. So, it was nothing more than fate’s cruelty that Greg perished from an electrical fire caused by his daily cup of coffee.
“That’s heartbreaking,” Cindy said in a low voice.
We were standing around outside while one of the officers found Mary a place to lay down. To my surprise, several people had survived and some of the camp was still operational. There was still some hope left.
Mary was in shock and hell I couldn’t blame her. We’d made it to the trailer in time to smother the flames minutes before Greg died. I couldn’t imagine the pain he was in, but he managed to croak something that sounded like “I love you,” right before he succumbed to his injuries.
Maybe what he said hadn’t sounded anything like that. Maybe I was trying to create a silver lining where only rips and tears existed, but we all needed hope.
“We need to get moving,” I said and rubbed Cindy’s shoulders.
There were a few vehicles that were still operational, but another convoy was on its way to the camp. Seismologist had been monitoring ground activity and warned that the camp needed to be evacuated a mere twenty minutes before the explosion. They were now moving the survivors even further north.
“It’s gassed up and ready to go,” the officer named Hurly said as he handed me a set of keys.
I’d managed to talk him into giving me a Ford Escape so that I could drive to Calhoun. We weren’t able to contact anyone there, but I was able to pitch my case convincingly enough. And having my work ID on me didn’t seem to hurt.
I took the keys and nodded towards the small, gray SUV. I felt a bit hesitant, venturing back out into the unknown, but it seemed like no place was safe. The road, the city, a FEMA camp…when death came for you, in the end it didn’t matter where you were.
“I take it you have some pretty important stuff to get to in Calhoun,” Hurly stopped me on the way to the car. “Just be careful out there, it’s getting bad and not just the earthquakes.”
I nodded and shook his hand one more time. “Thanks a lot.”
“Why are you so dead set on going here?” Brent asked. “Do you even have a plan?”
“If you’re gonna start up again, you can just stay. That’s fine, but I’m not wasting anymore time,” I replied.
“Dude calm down, we’re coming with you,” Jake jumped in.
“Oh…now you are? I thought you were leading the charge on the mutiny.”
Jake didn’t reply. He bit his bottom lip then looked back at Brent. Brent lowered his head and sighed.
“Let’s just go. It’ll be getting dark soon,” Brent said.
I didn’t push the issue any further. We all got into the car and after thanking the officer again, we drove off. Leaving the camp behind was a relief. As we drove north the destruction vanished behind us and it almost felt normal again.
The road opened up and it was like nothing had ever happened. No toppled buildings, no ripped apart highways, no signs that anything bad had ever occurred. The world was as it was and for some reason, normality seemed wrong.
“Maybe they were wrong,” Cindy said as she stared out of the window. “Maybe it’s not everywhere.”
I glanced at her and smiled. It was hard to imagine them being wrong. The National Guard had a network that spanned the country. If they said the world was falling apart then it was. I just needed to get to Calhoun while the team was still there.
Brent and Jake didn’t talk much during the ride. That was probably best, considering I was still pissed at them for wanting to stay back. Tragedy really let you know who your friends were and I was shocked that these guys were so willing to cut and run.
It didn’t take as long as I thought it would to get to Calhoun, but it wasn’t what I expected. Homeland Security was located inside of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, which was an unassuming, brown, one story building. It was surrounded by a thin chain-link fence that opened to a wide paved driveway.
I slowed down as we pulled up and put the car in park. The gate was wide open and there were no cars parked in the motor pool.
“Something is wrong,” I mumbled.
“Yeah…nobody’s home,” Jake groaned. “What a waste of time.”
“You could’ve stayed asshole.” I grabbed the handle and opened the door. Leaning my head out, I listened for any sounds of life, but it was eerily quiet outside. “I’ll be right back,” I said to Cindy.
“Hold on,” she said and grabbed my wrist. “What is going on? Why are we here? And I want the truth this time.”
I’d avoided the question long enough. She deserved to hear the whole story and there was no telling when I’d have another chance to tell her.
“For the last two years, I’ve been working in a top secret facility here,” I said with as much confidence as her piercing stare would allow.
“What about the Service Center?” she snapped.
“I work there too and I’m there at least once a week.” I paused then let out a groan. “Remember back when I was doing my dissertation?”
“Yeah.”
“You remember what is was about and how stressed I was right?”
“Yeah, you were freaking out. But what does that have to do with this?”
I struggled how to explain any of it without getting too far into details. I wanted her to believe me, I needed her to believe me.
“My dissertation started it all. I mean, the entire concept was about it. In three years, I said the Earth’s core would reach a tipping point, but it’s happening now. I worked here, helping to plan a shelter for the survivors in Wyoming.”
“The survivors?”
“Cindy, this is going to wipe out the world’s population. Other countries are doing the same thing.”
My words hung in the air. There was nothing, but silence and confusion inside of that car. Cindy’s eyes teared up and Brent and Jake couldn’t pull their jaws from the floor. I figured I might as well finish with all of the bad news.
“I was hoping to catch the team here and get us to the shelter in Wyoming, but it looks like they’ve already left. That’s it, that’s the whole truth.”
Cindy glared at me then swallowed. I shrugged then turned back toward the door and pulled it closed. She jumped at the sound and shivered.
“You okay?”
She nodded slightly. I could tell she was having a hard time processing what I’d told her. That was the thing though, be careful what you wished for. I had years to soak in the news, she had minutes. But she wanted to know it all and now she did.
Sighing, I put the car in drive and slowly rolled forward. I drove through the gate and stopped out front of the building. It looked deserted, but I tried to think positive. Maybe that was just the way they wanted it to look.
“You guys coming, or you staying in the car?” I looked back and asked as I opened my door.
“I’m…I’m coming with you,” Cindy stuttered.
Brent and Jake nodded and followed after me. In silence, we headed up the walkway and found the front doors propped open with rocks.
“Is this normal?” Brent asked with a shaky voice.
“No…no it’s not.”
I quickly ducked inside and started to poke around. My heart was thumping like a jackhammer and my stomach twisted and turned. I was too late.
The main lobby was completely empty. Short cubicle walls and small desks were systematically dispersed through the room like dominoes, but there was no one behind them. Papers were tossed around and filing cabinets left open, like someone had left in a hurry or the place had been ransacked. There was only one other place anyone could be.
With Cindy close behind me, I walked down the empty hall toward the project room in the back. As we moved further from the glass doors th
e light faded and we were cast into shadows.
“Wait for me,” Cindy called out as she reached for my hand.
I slowed for a moment then turned down another hall and headed toward the main boardroom. The doors were closed and a flickering light from the cracks gave me hope that someone might still be there.
With a deep breath, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. There was a wide, polished oak table in the middle of the room. It was empty except for an ancient projector that sat in the center of the table. It was pointed at the wall, spinning wildly with an empty reel. The click-clack of the aging motor echoed in the lonely room and inside of my head.
We were too late. I felt my heart drop and I collapsed into one the chairs in defeat. I knew it was a long shot, but if we’d made it we could’ve flown with them. Now we’d have to face whatever the planet through at us.
Cindy took a seat next to me and grabbed my hand. She smiled faintly, trying to hold back tears. I smiled back then stared up at the ceiling.
“What now?” Jake asked from the door.
“Now…now we drive to Wyoming.”
CHAPTER 12
THE JOURNEY OF 1000 MILES
I walked into my office and started collecting things that I thought we would need. The map on the wall was the first thing that stuck out. I pulled out the pins and rolled it up.
“I didn’t know you still had this,” Cindy said from behind me.
I turned and found her holding the picture on my desk. She had a smile on her face, but somehow managed to look remorseful.
“It’s my favorite picture. It made the days here bearable.”
She set the picture down then looked at me. “Is that it, out in the hall?”
I nodded.
“That…that’s how much time you thought we had?”
“It was never that simple. It was the amount of time I thought we had to do something about it. I could’ve never guessed when it would all occur. I just knew we were reaching a critical point. Once we hit it there would be no coming back.”
“I…I know it couldn’t have been easy. Knowing what you did and still keeping it together. Thanks for always being there for me, even if I wasn’t always there for you.”
“You’re talking like this is over. We’re gonna be okay Cindy. We can make it there in two days, that’ll be plenty of time. We’re gonna survive this.”
Her eyes started to water and she wiped her face. “I, I know Max. It’s just, it makes you think you know? There so many things I wish I could take back. But I can’t and I want you…I want you to,”
“You’re not trying to leave tonight, are you?” Jake shouted as he barged in the door.
“No…it’s too dark now. We’ll head out first thing in the morning,” I replied.
“I’ll talk to you later Max,” Cindy said then headed out of the door.
“Wait,” I called after her.
“Go ahead and finish in here. I know you have a lot to do.”
She left the room and Jake took up the chair behind my desk. He spun around a few times then stopped and started to look around.
“This is where you worked huh?” he asked.
“Yep, sometimes in Peachtree, but most times here.”
“Crazy shit huh? I mean, you knew the world was going to shit and you didn’t tell anyone.”
I stopped what I was doing and cocked my head to the side. I couldn’t tell if he was asking a real question or trying to be a smart ass. I got my answer soon enough.
“Just think of how people would’ve spent their time if they knew. It’s a good thing you kept it all to yourself. I mean…I could’ve visited my parents for instance. Did you know they were gonna come down last year for Christmas?”
“No…no I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, I told them not to worry about it. That I’d come see them this year. Then this year rolled around and I just didn’t have time. Funny, I would’ve made time if I knew. How do you think Chicago is doing?”
“Jake I don’t know.”
“Probably the same huh? They’re probably dead, my whole family is probably dead. My parents probably roasted to death in their sleep. My sister…you know she got a full-ride to the University? She probably fell in a fucking hole during her economics class. Top-secret huh…thanks Max. Thanks a lot.”
“It’s not my fault you didn’t see your parents Jake,” I replied, trying to let him vent.
“Yeah, yeah it is. You knew…for years you knew and you said nothing. What kind of fucking friend does that?” he shouted.
“Don’t do this,” Brent suddenly said from the door.
“Do what? Tell him how he fucked all of us over? We all feel the same way. I’m just the only one with the balls to say it. Somebody needs to tell him the truth.”
“The truth?” I scoffed. “Jake the truth is, you didn’t see your parents last year or the year before that or that. Not because of me, but because you’re a shitty person. You’re an asshole and a terrible son. Don’t blame this on me.”
“Fuck you Max!” he jumped to his feet and shouted.
“Fuck you!”
Brent rushed into the room and jumped between us. He held his hands out and looked back and forth like he wanted to cry.
“Stop this!” he roared. “This isn’t gonna help anything. We’re all scared.”
“I’m not scared. I’m pissed,” Jake shot back. “And don’t act like you’re not. You were our friend Max…our fucking friend!”
“We’re friends, we’re all friends,” Brent pleaded. “This isn’t worth it.”
Jake glared at me then turned to Brent and grunted. With a clenched jaw, he stormed out of my office and slammed the door behind him.
“He didn’t mean any of that,” Brent said once he was gone.
“Yeah he did.”
Brent frowned. “He didn’t. He…he just doesn’t know how to deal with it. He’s scared and has a lot on his mind.”
I didn’t reply. For all I knew Brent and Jake had been bitching about me every free moment they had. To be honest, I didn’t know which was worse, being stabbed in the back or the idea that maybe he was right.
Brent gave me a thoughtful glance then patted my shoulder. I’ll leave you to it,” he said then left.
I sat in my office alone for half an hour before I finished grabbing what I needed. When I made my way back to the boardroom, Cindy was already asleep on the floor. I’d pulled some blankets out of the supply closet and created makeshift beds. All of the supplies we’d taken from home were lost in the last quake, even my gun. That was something I wanted to replace immediately, but at least I was able to scavenge a from things from the center.
Everything at the moment just felt surreal. I was just reacting and I knew sooner or later the shock would wear off and I’d be left to deal with reality. It seemed to be much of the same for everyone else, but Jake had cracked. I couldn’t blame him, it was more than anyone should ever deal with. But a lot of what he said, he’d been holding back for a long time. I didn’t think our friendship would ever be the same.
The next morning I woke up and it was still dark outside. To my surprise, after taking a trip to the basement I found that the electricity was still working. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore, but I smiled every time I got to enjoy a little piece of normality.
Yawning, I lifted myself onto my forearms and cracked my neck. I nudged Cindy and she rolled over and sat up.
“Time to get moving,” I whispered.
She groaned. “I was hoping yesterday was all a dream and I was gonna wake up in my bed.”
“I don’t think we have beds anymore,” I laughed.
She made a painful smile and lowered her head. I threw an arm around her then gave her a kiss on the cheek
“It’ll be alright, you’ll see.”
“You keep saying that,” she snapped. “But how? How will anything ever be alright again?”
“We’ll make it to Wyoming and we’ll be together,”
I replied.
“What then Max? What do we do then? You said the world is ending. What do we do in Wyoming? How do we survive and even if we do what kind of life will that be?”
“It’ll be life Cindy,” I said and grabbed her hands. “It might not be the life we had, but it’ll be life.”
“Yeah, a wonderful fucking life,” Jake croaked as he sat up.
I grumbled then kissed Cindy again and tossed the sleeping bag off of my legs. I reached for my shoes then stopped as my stomach twisted and roared like an angry lion.
“When was the last time we ate?” I mumbled.
It had to have been the day before yesterday. We’d been running and scrambling to stay alive and the thought of food hadn’t crossed my mind.
“I’m hungry too,” Cindy added.
“There’s a vending machine in the break room and the frig normally has all types of stuff,” I said as I headed toward the door. “You coming?”
“Yeah.”
“Me too,” Brent joined in.
Jake didn’t say anything, but begrudgingly decided to follow the crowd. We headed down the hall and into the break room. In silence we gorged ourselves with all of the junk food we could find and a bowl of spaghetti I found in the refrigerator. I suspected it couldn’t be more than a week old.
“So when’s the next meal,” Brent joked.
I laughed and leaned back in my chair. It looked like no one wanted to moving after finally eating. I was headed into a food coma myself and was happy to have time to just relax.
“We should probably pack this stuff to go. Those tubs of preserved lasagna are gonna get old quick,” Jake said. It was the first time he’d spoken without being a total asshole.
“Good idea,” I replied.
He looked at me and made an odd face then started chewing the inside of his gum. Brent cleared his throat and Jake sighed.
“Okay, okay,” he said in a strained voice. “Look Max, I was wrong about what I said. I know this couldn’t have been easy. I’m just pissed dude…not at you, but the situation. I’m sorry I took that out on you.”
The Mayflower Project: Deconstruction Book Two (A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller) Page 7