They dragged around their belongings in the vertical shopping carts, slept wherever they could make camp
“Mexico,” Tom said. “I really think we need to try Mexico.”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
“Kylie, we’ve been doing this for months. You heard what they said, a lot of people went to Mexico. We should try Mexico.”
“What do we have to barter?”
“We have that rum,” Tom said. “And those cigarettes. Potatoes.” He snapped his finger. “Bet they’ll let us in with potatoes.”
“Then how to we get out.”
“We have lots of stuff. I say we hit Mexico.” He watched Kylie blow on her hands. “It’ll be warmer.”
“Excuse me,” a man walked up to her. “I see your gloves are bad. I’ll give you a new pair for your place in line.”
“No, thank you.” Kylie replied.
“I’ll take that deal.” Someone else in the next line said.
“Great.” The man walked to the next line.
“Like I’d give up my space.” Kylie chuckled and finally stepped forward.
The woman in the line sighed out. “Last update was two weeks ago, if you were here after that, we have no new names.”
“I wasn’t,” Kyle said.
“Last name?”
“Him and I are looking for different people, two different last names,” Kylie said.
“That’s fine, you first,” the woman said.
“James. Last name James.”
“Swell, that’s a common name.”
“The first names aren’t,” Kylie said. “There would two males with the name Carter. One an adult, one a boy and an older man …”
“Guy.”
Kylie froze and looked slowly to her left. The glove man stared at her. “Excuse me?” she asked.
“Guy. Guy James. Is that the same one? World’s oldest stoner?”
“Oh my God.” Kylie gasped, nearly falling backwards. “You know them.”
“I do. We traveled together. Carter, the dad goes by CJ.”
“Good Lord,” Tom said. “This is unreal.”
The woman behind the desk looked up. “She doesn’t need me now. Who are you looking for?”
Kylie stepped away from Tom and to the glove man. “Are they okay? Do you know?”
“Yeah, they’re fine. All of them.”
At first her hand shot to her mouth emotionally then Kylie shrieked and grabbed on to him, ‘Thank you. Thank you. Do you know where they last were? Where I can head?”
“They’re still there. In fact … maybe it is time I went back there. Let me check the registry for my boy and I’ll get you there.”
Excitedly, Kylie nodded and spun to Tom who was talking to the woman. She felt bad that she received good news and Tom did not.
“No worries,” he said to Kylie. “I’ll find them. But you … your search may be over.”
“Yes, maybe … I hope.” She shifted her eyes to the glove man and had to calm herself, curb her enthusiasm. She’d not allow herself to happy or excited or any longer until she not only saw her son, but held him in her arms.
<><><><>
“Hinges would have worked better,” the man said to Guy as they stood on the newly erected gate on the east side of town.
“Not better,” Guy argued. “Easier. Our gates will not swing they will roll on tracks.” Guy grunted with the final adjustment then brought the heavy gate forward, rolling it to a close.
There was a round of applause by the four men there.
Guy was proud of that gate the barricade spread across both lanes of the highway with the rolling gate on the approaching side.
The fifteen foot fence was constructed with a wooden frame, filled in with aluminum panels. Most of the materials were gathered from billboards and a local home superstore.
The roads were finished, at least the exits. A simple chain fence was erected on vulnerable areas around town. They would need more eventually, but Guy felt confident that with the weather increasingly getting bad, they wouldn’t have many travelers.
Since the day he settled in Lordsburg, Guy stayed busy. Just like he was in the world before the events, he was a jack of all trades. Despite his self-proclaimed tremendous job on the fences, the crown he wore most proudly was that of a farmer.
At first he was just a worker bee, helping on the fences, by day and the green house at night. Then Guy pretty much took over. In a few months he went from the newbie in town, to one of the trusted.
Graham pulled up, just at that moment. He stepped from the car, then hands on hips, nodded proudly. “Looks great. The last one is done.”
“It is,” Guy said. “And we added a little extra.” He walked to the door. “Peep hole.” He opened a little square, “which also can serve as a gun hole.”
“What about the crow’s nest?” Graham asked.
“One thing at a time. Right now we are perching the lookouts up on the ladder.”
“All day and night.”
“We take turns. I definitely want to add the peep hole and gun hole to the west fence. In case them Cotton City boys come back up here. Shoot them before they open their mouths.”
“Guy, come one, that wasn’t their fault.”
“You don’t think?” Guy asked. “They tried to trade off that sick pig. In fact they did trade that sick pig. I told you, didn’t I? I said, ‘that pig is sick’.”
“You did.” Graham nodded.
“But nope. You didn’t listen. You gave them ten gallons of diesel and a bunch of other stuff, including an ounce of my freshly dried finest. And what did we get?”
“A sick pig.”
“No, thirty-three cases of the swine flu,” Guy corrected. “Thirty three. That’s once percent. That’s epidemic. They started an epidemic.”
“It was an accident.”
“It was deliberate. The new world version of a biological weapon. Good thing Doc Mike was on the ball.”
“Good thing. You done griping?” Graham asked.
“Yes.”
“You know, because I hear this all the time.”
“I’m old. I repeat myself.”
“You’re not that old,” Graham said. “Anyhow. You were right. Smaller batch the better. We’re priming the brew now. Should gave five gallons worth of bottles in couple hours.”
“Hot damn. That’s great news. We’ll crack a few open tonight. Just don’t tell CJ. He wastes beer, is a lightweight and a terrible drunk.”
Graham laughed. “Sounds good. And more good news.... That still you made … Reggie thinks he’ll have the moonshine ready in a week.”
“Getting better. You know damn well, one bottle of moonshine and a six pack is gonna yield us that basket of onions and peppers from Vinwar, we need them before winter sets in.”
“I want ... I want to send a salvaging crew out one more time. At least once before the weather gets bad. We never snow in these parts, so this will be interesting.”
“Agreed. Should put CJ on a crew or me. We both know how to drive in the snow.”
“Will do. I’ll start …”
“Guy!” one of his men called out from the latter.
Guy turned around. “What’s up?”
“Vehicle.”
Guy walked to the fence and opened the peep hole, looking out. He recognized the beat up pick-up truck. “Oh, wow, that’s Ruben. Ruben’s back.”
“Think he’s back for the winter?” Graham asked.
“I do.” Guy slid open the fence slightly. “Be good to have him here.” He stepped out from the fence and waved as the truck pulled closer.
“Is there someone with him?” Graham asked.
“Yeah,” Guy said softly. “Be vigilant in case he’s been forced to get us to open.”
Ruben stopped the truck ten feet from Guy.
It was an odd move and Guy peered closely at the truck and passenger seat. He squinted, trying to get a clear view, then after Ruben stepped out with a smile a
nd a wave, the passenger door opened.
Guy couldn’t move. He froze when he saw Kylie step out. “Holy Mother of God.
CJ just wanted to get home. That was all. It was cold, his fingers were numb. He had just gotten back from a difficult trade in Bowie for rice and nearly froze to death because the heater in the van didn’t work.
He hated trading, he really did. But it seemed there was rarely any single job for CJ to do. They shuffled him around weekly. When he was asked what he did for a living, and he mentioned, ‘painter’, he was surprised that the reaction wasn’t better. It was an honest job, but no one got it. They said they’d keep him busy with other stuff, but if he wanted, he could run an art class once a week as a morale booster.
Sometimes he worked at the hotel, but there were never any guests. He worked at the diner, at ration center. He wanted to work on the fences, but Guy wouldn’t let him. Nor would his father let him near the greenhouse because he said CJ had a brown thumb.
He didn’t mind making road trips to areas abandoned. Towns that were affected by the quakes or meteor. CJ had a niche for finding things, often swearing he was channeling Mindy. They were able to salvage some really good stuff. Even going forty miles north they found warehouses people seemed to forget about.
They had to stockpile, for both trade and survival. Winter was at hand, and it looked like any attempts at crops would be futile for a long time.
On this day it was a simple trade that was miserable. The old guy with the rice was just moving so slow, and was wishy-washy about the trade. After dropping off the van at the depot, he picked up Carter from a friend’s house and headed through town to the two bedroom trailer he shared with his father near the far end of Lordsburg.
He just wanted to get there. But Abby followed them and was relentless.
“It’s not important, Abby,” CJ said. “Can I just go home?”
“Can you just think about it?” she asked.
“Why are you even doing this?” CJ stopped walking.
“Dad.” Carter tugged his hand.
“In a second,” CJ replied.
“Counsel wants it. They think it will boost morale. Not … not that your art class isn’t wonderful.”
CJ grumbled. “I’m cold. I just want to get my son home.”
“Dad.”
“Can you at least think about it? I so need a lead for Sound of Music.”
“Oh my God. Ask me when I’m warm.” CJ felt the tug to his hand. “What Carter?”
“Is that mom?”
Shocked.
CJ spun to where Carter pointed.
Had she not been walking with his father, CJ wouldn’t have recognized her.
The red knit cap was bulky and large burying most of her face, and she wore a green plaid coat, tied at the waist with a rope. CJ released Carter’s hand and the boy ran top speed to her, calling out, “Mom!” over and over.
Kylie raced his way as well, but only a short distance. She fell to her knees and Carter ran into her nearly knocking her over.
Kylie held him rocking him for a few seconds, then placed her hands on Carter’s face, looking at him, feeling him and kissing him.
“My boy, my boy, my baby boy,” she cried, “My baby boy. Mommy missed you. Mommy missed you so much.”
CJ moved closer at a slow pace. He noticed Ruben was with his father, and another man as CJ stood behind Carter not wanting to interrupt the reunion. He knew how he felt after two days of not seeing Carter, he could only imagine how Kylie felt.
She sniffled and looked up to CJ, then stood. “Thank you for taking care of him.”
“Oh my God, Kylie.” CJ grabbed hold of her and brought him into his arms. Even though it had been years since the divorce, years since he held her, she was bone thin. “You’re alive.”
She sniffed and stepped back. “Ruben told me everything. All that you guys went through.” She looked CJ then to Guy. “And you kept our son alive. He looks so healthy.”
“We have it pretty good here,” CJ said. “Now you will too.”
Her lips pouted as she held back tears. “I’m so glad you stayed put. I never would have found you. Especially without Ruben.”
“Right place at the right time,” Ruben said.
“This is my friend, Tom,” Kylie pulled him forward. “He rescued me in the beginning and has been with me ever since. He’s searching for his family.”
Tom shook CJ’s hand. “I’m so happy for Kylie. You know, we went around this place twice. Once headed west, the other headed east. We never approached the gates because we heard not to come near. I wish we had.”
“Better late than never,” CJ said.
Abby cleared her throat and stepped forward, “My name is Abby. CJ, why don’t I take them to get them some warm clothes and some food. I’ll take them to my house. It’s more comfortable.”
Guy crinkled his brow. “What do you mean more comfortable? You got the same trailer as we do.”
Abby whispered. “Mine is cleaner.”
With an ‘eh’ Guy tossed out his hand in a wave.
“CJ is that okay?” Abby asked.
“Yes. Yes, thank you,” CJ said. “I’ll be right there.”
Abby placed her arm around Kylie as support, as Kylie took Carter’s hand. She looked over her shoulder once to CJ as they walked down the street.
CJ released the breath he held and faced Ruben. “This is unreal. How?”
“Timing.” Ruben shrugged.
“Are you just dropping them off?” Guy asked. “Or are you staying?”
“I’m going to stay a little while. There’s talk that it snowed pretty bad up north. Roads will be rough in the snow,” Ruben said. “I was talking to Tom. He’s still searching for his family. I think him and I will work together on looking.”
“No luck finding Stew?” Guy asked.
“Not yet. And I emphasized the word yet. I mean, miracles can happen, right?” Ruben said. “Look what happened today.”
“Absolutely. And you’re just in time for another miracle.” Guy slapped his hand on Ruben’s back. “We have beer.”
“No way.”
“Yep. Next week … moonshine.”
“How about your pot?”
“Finest in the nation,” Guy boasted. Hand still on Ruben’s back, he began to lead him, following Abby and Kylie. He paused. “CJ, you coming?”
“Yes, in a second. Go on.”
Five minutes earlier, CJ couldn’t wait to get to his home. Now he needed a moment to stop and take it all in. It was a complete and utter shock to his physical and emotional being when he saw Kylie. It wasn’t real at first, because he never in a million years believed it would happen.
Yet there she was. It was the happiest he had seen his son in a very long time. That made CJ happy.
He hated what happened to the world, even resented the life he had to live. For months he felt frustrated, restless, now suddenly he felt sense of resolve. There was a sense of completion. Even though Kylie hadn’t been his wife in a long time, she as the mother of his son and family nonetheless.
After seeing her and how worn she looked, he knew how good they had it in Lordsburg.
He was hit with a truth he had been denying.
They were all lucky.
Billions had died … they did. And they didn’t just survive, they were living.
The country had become a vast wasteland, a good portion of which, CJ had seen. More than likely things would deteriorate more, they’d plan on that. For the time being, within the fenced in walls of a protected tiny blip on a map, there was an abundance of life.
It was time CJ started to appreciate that.
From that moment on, he promised himself he would.
Standing there in the middle of the street, traces of snow falling, he thought of Mindy, all that she said about Kylie and how insistent she was. CJ looked up to the sky. “You were right,” he said. “You were right.”
He had been standing there so long, his fa
ther and Ruben were fading from sight. With a quick pace, he moved to reach them, and did so with a smile on his face.
Once together at Abby’s, CJ planned to spend time with family and be grateful for the reunion that was nothing short of a miracle. Then maybe, just maybe, because he knew it would irk his father, he’d even have one of those beers.
<><><><>
Thank you so much for reading this book. I hope you found it fun and enjoyed it.
Please visit my website www.jacquelinedruga.com and sign up for my mailing list for updates, freebies, new releases and giveaways. And, don’t forget my new Kindle club!
Your support is invaluable to me. I welcome and respond to your feedback. Please feel free to email me at [email protected]
Faulted Page 19