NightFall

by Roger Hayden

  They drove down the ramp past the guard shack and onto a road brimming with parked vehicles. Rob had just enough room to maneuver around and toward the Expressway on-ramp, less than a mile away. Hordes of people lingered and gawked at the one moving car on the road, as Rob drove over medians and sidewalks, narrowly avoiding them along the way.

  Fighter jets stormed by again, followed by a fleet of helicopters. At first glance, it appeared to be a massive military exercise, but what they had seen was no training exercise.

  Rob turned to Mila, handing her the emergency radio. “Here, give it another try.”

  She turned the dials searching for a signal. This time, Mila wasn’t getting anything at all.

  “I just don’t understand it,” Rob said. “Why aren’t we being told what’s going on.”

  He drove up the on-ramp toward I-87, staying to right side of the road just over the white line and onto the grass. His driver’s side door was within an inch of a line of vehicles. The highway fared no better than the city streets, as hundreds of people walked along every lane, and blocked blocking the shoulders.

  “This is going to be tricky,” Rob said, feeling anxious. Mila turned the radio knob back and forth intermittently. Frustrated, she brushed her black bangs away from her eyes, and set the radio on her lap.

  “How could something like that happen? In this country?”

  “The response-time is what gets me,” Rob responded. “Two hours after an EMP strike, and there was already a full-fledged military operation in downtown Manhattan.”

  “Did those look like American soldiers to you?” Mila asked.

  Rob scoffed. Not even he had considered the idea of their being foreign. “Mila, come on! Of course they were American soldiers.”

  “What makes you so sure?”

  Rob thought for a minute. He didn’t have an answer. He laid down on his horn, trying to clear the ranks of people walking along the side of the road.

  A large group turned around, startled and slowly made space for Rob to drive through.

  “This is ridiculous,” Rob said, getting frustrated. “These people have the whole damn road to walk down and they have to block the side.”

  “They’re just as confused as we are,” Mila said.

  They continued north as Rob repeated pressed on the horn to clear a path. The last thing he wanted to do was hit someone—but people were making it more and more difficult as he progressed. Up ahead, one particular group of young people saw the Datsun coming and began to look for a way to block their path. Their friends had already tried waving Rob down, but hand been ignored.

  “What is it?” Mila asked, squinting ahead.

  “Just some punk kids,” Rob said.

  A half mile up the road, a group pushed a vehicle into the right shoulder, blocking their path. Rob pushed the gas, flooring it.

  “Hold on tight,” Rob said, as they shot forward.

  He swerved back into the lane, narrowly missing a parked dump truck and sped through a small opening in the middle of the road between two cars. The punks, unprepared for Rob’s maneuvering, tried to chase him down, but it was too late. The Datsun continued on unabated.

  Rob swerved through open spaces in the road and then back onto the shoulder, where they were safe for the time being. With thirty miles to go, the radio suddenly caught a signal, broadcasting a message similar to the one they had heard before.

  “Residents are advised to stay indoors until utility services can properly be restored to affected areas.”

  Rob listened carefully as Mila turned up the volume up all the way.

  “An unexplained aerial magnetic wavelength has disabled power grids across the country, also affecting stand-alone personal electronic devices and vehicles within forty thousand feet of the mass spectrum. A reported nine interconnected substations and transformers have been compromised, disabling power and mobility for hundreds of millions of Americans.”

  The broadcast had yet to delve into exactly what the government was doing. Rob waited impatiently, and after a few seconds the broadcast resumed.

  “Government officials are closely monitoring the situation while advising residents to stay off the streets and out of highly populated areas, where riot-control measures are currently being implemented.”

  “Riot control?” Mila asked. “Is that what that was?”

  Rob took Mila’s hand in his while keeping a careful eye on the road. The broadcast then switched to another long, high-pitched tone, followed by a repeat of the earlier message.

  “This is a message from the Emergency Alert System. This is not a test. All residents are advised to stay indoors…”

  The Datsun shuttled down the road as they left the smoking city behind them, headed back home where they could hunker down and wait for everything to blow over.

  Refuge

  “Will everyone just calm down? I told you that we’re going to be OK. We’re prepared for this!” Rob said as they crossed the I-287 over the Hudson River.

  It had been an exhausting and dangerous journey back home avoiding cars and angry pedestrians. Kelly was upset, Mila was on-edge, and Josh was asking too many questions. Stress began to weight down on all them, especially Rob. .

  After avoiding another angry mob on the road, he slammed his fist on the steering wheel. “This is ridiculous. Why can’t these people just move out of the way? We should have never moved here!”

  “Calm down, Rob,” Mila said. “You’re doing fine. Just get us out of here.”

  He turned to her with understanding. Mila, herself, was tired and fatigued, but she had done everything necessary to retrieve their children from a volatile situation. And they had succeeded. The next step was simple: grab everything they could and bug-out to the cabin. Rob couldn’t believe they were actually doing it. In his mind, they were already there and safe. But they still had a ways to go before any such fantasy materialized.

  Rob glanced into rear-view mirror at the kids.

  “You guys doing all right back there?” he said, rubbing his eyes.

  Kelly nodded, still in a quiet state of shock after what they had been through.

  “Yeah, I guess,” Josh said. “But I don’t understand why we have to go to the cabin. Why not just stay at the house? What difference does it make?

  “We have a plan,” Mila answered. “And we have to stick to the plan.”

  “Sounds like a pretty dumb plan to me,” Josh said, scoffing.

  “The longer we stay at the house, the harder it will be to leave. And trust me, we would have to leave at some point.”

  “Yeah, but—“

  Rob cut him off.

  “I understand it’s not an easy thing to ask of any of you. But it’s the only way.”

  Mila looked back at Josh with an attempt to console him. “It will only be for a couple of weeks.” She then turned to Rob. “Right?”

  Rob nodded. “A couple of weeks tops.” He knew, however, that it could be much longer. What else could he say? After what Kelly and Josh had been through, Rob didn’t want to fill their heads with the true reality: that they could be there for months. A total grid shutdown posed detrimental effects for years on end, or things could go back to normal in a matter of months. Whatever the outcome, he knew that adapting to a survivalist lifestyle would have to be gradual.

  Josh threw his hands. “I don’t like this one bit.” He shook his head in frustration and spoke in a hopeless, defeated tone. “Why did this have to happen? Who did this to us and why? I just… don’t understand.”

  “I’m sorry, Josh. I really am,” Rob said.

  The car went silent again. Josh looked out his window, not saying a word as they passed another lines of cars parked on the interstate. They crossed the bridge over the Hudson, another landmark closer to home. The emergency radio crackled. Mila held it up, tilting the antenna, trying to get a better listen to the broadcast.

  “Highways from the West Coast to the East, from the Mid-west to Southern states are
at a complete stand-still. Seventy-five percent of the nation’s power grids are reported as non-functional as the federal government, and emergency response management agencies have reportedly implemented measures to address the growing crisis. Air space has been restricted nationally to military only. Residents of all affected areas are advised to remain in their homes until assistance can be made.

  “Those left stranded on highways and roads are urged to remain calm and wait for assistance at emergency refuge centers. They are not encouraged to remain on the roads, which are being cleared for official transportation of casualties as well as other emergencies… More details to follow.”

  Then the broadcast ended.

  Mila clutched the radio, stunned. If what they had heard was true, things were far worse than he could have imagined. Rob had hoped… hoped that the EMP had encompassed a limited range. But any such optimism was now gone.

  “We have to get to the cabin tonight. There’s no other way,” Mila said adamantly.

  Judging from what they had seen in the city, the United States was either undergoing some kind of foreign invasion, or that the government had resorted to extreme measures to handle the crisis.

  ***

  Their neighborhood was largely the same as it had been earlier that day. The garbage truck was still there, long abandoned. Any cars in the driveway in the morning were still there. Anyone not home earlier, didn’t look to be home now. There was an eerie quietness to the street, but it was a breath of fresh air after the city. Rob made it back to the house with a half-tank of gas left. It was late afternoon, and the evening was upon them—where anything could happen.

  They pulled into the driveway, and Rob asked Josh to jump out and open the garage door. The Datsun was a hot commodity, no matter where they were or how safe they felt.

  “Everything looks fine here,” Josh said. “Why don’t we just wait here, sleep on it? The power could be back on in the morning for all we know.”

  “Please just open the garage door,” Rob said.

  “I’ll do it,” Mila said, opening her door.

  “No,” Rob said, touching her arm. He looked into the rear-view mirror. “Do what I asked.”

  Josh huffed and got out of the car. As he walked to the garage door and pushed it open, Mila said, “He’ll come around at some point. Don’t worry.”

  “I know,” Rob said.

  After opening the garage door, Josh went inside the house through the garage without looking back.

  Rob spoke in a hushed tone. “We think it’s difficult getting the kids to adjust tonight? Imagine tomorrow. The more they get settled in, the harder it’s going to be.”

  “I don’t mind going to the cabin,” Kelly said from the back seat.

  Rob turned. “That’s good. Now we all have to pack and be ready. Do you think you can do that?”

  “Yeah,” she said in a flat tone.”

  He pulled forward into the garage, unnoticed by anyone on the street. Their neighbor Ken was nowhere to be seen. It was late afternoon and they were already losing daylight fast.

  “Nice to see that we’re all on board,” Rob said. “We’ll load up the car and get on our way.”

  Mila sat quiet and reserved as Rob turned the ignition off. She thought of her earlier urgency, of wanting to get to the cabin as soon as possible. After seeing what had become of their town, their streets, the neighboring city, she had thought her mind made up. But something about the familiarity and comfort of their home made everything better.

  It was hard to explain to Josh and Kelly why the importance of uprooting their lives for an undisclosed period. And then there was her job. What of the hospital? What of her patients? Could she really leave it all behind? She was beginning to feel a little bit like Josh.

  But she also trusted Rob’s instincts. His quick thinking had assured her so far that they had a chance. She thought of Chet, the man who harassed her. She was lucky to have her gun on her. How many more people were out there, closing in on their neighborhood, just like him?

  “All good?” Rob asked and turned off the ignition switch.

  Mila and Kelly said, “Yes,” in return. Being told to pack for potentially months in a short amount of time and space was a bit overwhelming. This much, Rob understood.

  “Just focus on the necessities,” he said. “We can always make a two trips if needed.”

  They opened their doors and stepped out. Rob went to Kelly and knelt down in front of her, offering a light hug.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked. Her face still looked shaken.

  “OK, I guess. Just a little hungry.”

  Rob took her by the hand and led her inside as Mila followed. It was getting dark and the air was stuffy.

  “I’ll open some windows,” he said.

  “Come on,” Mila said to Kelly. “Let’s see what we can pack for you.”

  They went off down the hall as Rob opened the living room and kitchen windows, letting in a cool breeze. He thought about the house and how much he wanted to take everything. We’re they doing the right thing abandoning it? Was there any other way? He eliminated his doubt as he walked toward Josh’s room. His son could be heard riffling through his closet.

  “How’s it going in here?” he said, pushing the door open. His blinds were open, and the sun was rapidly descending. A lush, orange sky could be seen outside the window. They were running out of time. Traveling in the mountains at night posed its own challenges—their headlights could be seen for miles.

  Josh threw a pile of clothes onto his bed. His room was a mess of books, video games, and shoes, skateboard, books lying everywhere.

  “What am I actually supposed to pack here? I have no idea.”

  Rob strolled in and took a seat at the end of his bed. “No electronics. They’re useless now. Clothes. Hygiene stuff. Winter jackets. Blankets. It’s going to get cold up there.”

  Josh stood in the middle of the room, shaking his head. “I just don’t get it.”

  “We won’t be there forever. All I ask is that you understand that the safety of this family is my top priority,” Rob said, as he sat on the bed.

  “Yes, Dad. I get it.” Josh bent down, grabbed another pile of clothes, and tossed it on the bed. “This is the worst day of my life.”

  Rob stood up and approached Josh, helping him sort through his clothes. “Things will get better, I promise.”

  Josh didn’t respond and just seemed to hang his head in defeated.

  “After you get packed. I need your help with a few other things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Making sure that your sister and mom are good to go. We’re the men of the family, Josh, and we need to act like it.”

  Josh grabbed his cell phone. “My friends. They could still be at the museum, or they made it home. But I’ll never know, will?” He threw the phone across the room, hitting his dresser.

  “We have work to do, Josh,” Rob said. “It’s time for you to put everything behind you for now, and do what’s best for your family.”

  Josh turned to Rob, surprised by his matter-of-fact tone. He was too exhausted to argue any longer. There was nothing left to say.

  They walked to the garage together and got to work. Helicopters raced above the house, giving them chills. With only an hour or so of precious daylight left, they got to work.

  The Datsun was quickly loaded with everything that could fit inside the trunk and on the top of the car. Rob wrapped containers and boxes over the top railing with bungee cords like they were going on extended vacation. Josh thought of cabin and what he was going to do out there. He liked to fish and then noticed his pole in the corner near the washer and dryer. He grabbed it and then remembered something else.

  “Do we still have room for my tackle box?” he asked Rob.

  Rob finished fastening the last bungee. “Yeah, there should be some room in the truck.”

  Josh went into the house to get it. After the initial shock, their trip was beginning to
feel more like a vacation. Rob did a mental check of everything they had packed so far: emergency food kits, medical supplies, bug-out bags, weapons and ammunition. In the meantime, it seemed as if everyone was packed and ready. Mila and Kelly brought their bags out. Josh soon followed. For Rob, it was a sobering sight to see. They were really leaving.

  ***

  After packing everything they needed, the family took the forty-minute drive to the cabin, with a quarter tank left of their gas, and a jumbled congestion of vehicles along their path. They left their house with the windows closed, locked, and covered, hoping to return home soon.

  It was early evening as Rob up the winding hills of Bear Lake Mountain Road to where a quaint three-bedroom cabin awaited, far into the mountains and away from the civilized world. Rob knew the roads well, and he also expected to find a few others who had cabins in the area. People, like him, who prepped. With no way of knowing who had made it or not, Rob didn’t hold any expectations, but little by little, he was sure people would began to arrive.

  His people owned bug-out vehicles as well with escape plans similar to his. He trusted each them and was certain that they could stave off the elements together and live off the land safely in relative harmony.

  The camp community consisted of two families and two couples—all resourceful preppers—who had had purchased the cabins in the event of a national crisis or disaster. They were residents of Nyack, except for one Long Island family, and they were also frequent customers to his store. He hadn’t seen a lot of them in a while and hoped that they were OK.

  “Have heard from anyone else?” Mila asked, referring to the prepper group.

  “No, not yet,” Rob answered. He fiddled with the emergency radio in his lap, trying to get a decent signal. “I hope to see everyone soon, or at least in the next day or two.”

  Mila grabbed the radio from him. “Let me see that. You need to keep your eyes on the road.”