by Connor Mccoy
Karen hesitated before asking her next question. “Was she someone you were close to?”
Cooper’s head tilted to the side, away from her. “Yes.”
Then he pressed his hand over his face and rubbed it. “I must be wiped out. I can’t even open my eyes.” He blinked his eyes repeatedly. “Wait a minute. Aren’t my eyes open?”
“Yeah,” Karen replied.
Cooper then reached out into the air. Karen stepped back. He nearly jabbed her cheek. The man then groped about aimlessly.
“Jamie, what’s wrong?” Karen’s pulse quickened.
Cooper rolled onto his side. He tried to sit up, but fatigue was hindering him. “Why is everything around me dark? It’s like a dull brown. Karen, where are you?”
Karen circled the bed so she was in front of him. “I’m right here!”
Cooper tilted his head in her direction, but it was slanted, not pointed toward her. “I see nothing but dark shapes. No, the whole world is dark! I don’t see anything at all!”
Karen swallowed. “My God,” she whispered, “You’re…you’re blind!”
Dominick leaned close to Charlie as the pair departed their bedroom. “What do you think’s going on?”
“It’s got to be big if he’s talking to all of us in the same room,” Charlie said quietly.
The duo emerged into the living room. The rest of the children all spread out across the couch, the easy chair, or the floor, if there was no more room. Their father stood near the gap between the easy chair and the couch. He had bags under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept for a while.
Dominick rushed over to Terry. “What do you think Dad’s been up to? He looks beat,” Dominick whispered.
“Got me,” Terry replied.
Tom took a look around the room, mentally counting all the heads. “Great. Looks like we got a real family meeting going here. I hope I don’t smell too bad.” Tom playfully smelled his armpit. “But Dad’s been real busy running all around town.”
“Dad, is something wrong?” Alice asked.
“No. Not at all.” Tom smiled.
“In fact, I think things may work out just fine. You might even call this a kind of vacation.” He had been beating around the bush long enough. He had to start in with his whole plan.
“First, I want to say that you’ve all been stellar in taking care of your mother. I know it’s been hard not to be with her. But she is hanging in there, and I know she can beat this.” Tom sighed. “But she can’t beat it here.”
Most of the kids straightened up. Did they sense what was coming?
“She…and I, we both, are going to leave town for a while,” Tom said.
That drew a round of gasps and a few “whats?” “whys?” and “wheres?” from the children. Tom quickly added, “Again, it’s just for a while. We are coming back.”
“Is it because they’re making you go with all the other sick people?” Rinaldo spoke up.
“We decided this on our own,” Tom said firmly.
“But they are making you go,” Charlie said with a hint of indignation in his voice.
Tom paced behind the couch, patting the top of it. “Charlie, there are times when you have to know when to fight and when it’s best to look for other choices. Now, our friends and neighbors are scared, and it’s perfectly understandable. Maybe it’s not the absolute best choice they could make, but we can work with it. They said they’re perfectly fine with having anybody come back that’s all better. So, we’re going to go out there, fight the rest of this disease, and then come home.”
“But what’s going to happen to us?” Annie asked.
“Uncle Obie will watch us, right? And Aunt Nadia?” Michael asked.
Tom walked into the living room’s dead center. “No, Aunt Nadia’s needed somewhere else. And Uncle Obie, well, he’s getting up there in years. He loves you all, but he doesn’t have the energy you kids have.” Tom laughed, then continued.
“You’ve all got good friends, and they have good parents who can watch over you. What I’m going to do is send you off in groups to stay with your friends.”
Another explosion of questions assaulted him. “Wait, what?” asked Rinaldo.
“Why?” piped up Michael.
“Why can’t we all stay together?” Alice asked.
“Who are we going with?” Dominick asked.
Tom waved his hand. “Don’t worry. I’m sending you off with people you’re going to be comfortable with, and I’m going to let you know who they are before we leave. I know it feels very sudden, but we have to move pretty quickly.”
“What about you?” The question came from Amir. The boy added, “Where are you and Mom going?”
Tom stepped closer to his son. “We’ve found a place. It’s not far. We think we can hole up there until your mom gets better.”
Then he looked at everyone else, at the mass of worrying faces. “I hate that I had to spring this on you. Sometimes life doesn’t give us a choice. But we’re ready for this. We may be splitting up for a little while, but it won’t be for long. Now, I’m going to start talking to you one at a time. When we’re done, start packing.”
Tom placed the car key in Amir’s open hand. “You’re the only one besides Obie who’s got a key.” He and the boy were alone in Amir’s bedroom. “I don’t think anything bad’s going to happen, but if it does, you know what to do.”
Amir grasped the key. “Yes.”
“Now, repeat all the steps back to me.”
“The car’s hidden in the woods under the tree that has the branch that looks like an upside-down L.”
“Right.”
“The car has no gas. You hid a gas can in the back seat,” Amir answered.
“Right. That means no one can steal it. Pour all you can into the tank, but if you’re pressed, just do enough to get the car running and out of town. You always can fuel up later when you’re out of danger.”
Amir swallowed. “Yeah.”
“Hey.” Tom pressed his hand into Amir’s thick black hair. “I know it’s tough.”
“I just don’t want you to go again.” Amir looked down. “You were gone before.”
“When the goon squad threw me in prison. Yeah, I know. But we pulled through. We’ll pull through this, too.”
Tom stood up. “Man, you’re really starting to get up there.” He held his hand below Amir’s mouth. “I remember when you were this short. A couple of more years, the ladies will be beating down the door to get you.”
Amir laughed. “Maybe.”
“Hey, you remember everything we talked about after the fighting with NATO stopped?”
Amir nodded. “Yes, I do. I won’t forget any of it.”
“Good.” Tom then reached down and hugged his boy. “I know you will.”
Chapter Twenty
A pair of hands gently rocked Tom Criver’s arm. “Papa.”
Amir’s voice stirred Tom out of his slumber. Opening his eyes, he found his son standing before him. Soft daylight streamed through the window behind Tom’s bed.
“Hey,” Tom said. He had told Amir to make sure he was up if Tom wasn’t up first. To be honest, Tom wished he could have slept longer, maybe ignore the whole ordeal to come.
“We’re all ready,” Amir said.
Tom nodded. “Great.” He rolled onto his side.
“Well, I guess it’s time for our big adventure.” He tried to smile, but only managed a little one. Amir tried as well, but didn’t get as far as his dad.
Tom rose from the bed. “I’m going to go get your mother.”
“You can’t throw him out!” Karen shouted. “Don’t you understand that he can’t see a damn thing?”
“I agree!” Lauren approached the two young men, both dressed in protective gear. “You can’t cast a blind man out of town!”
“It’s either him or the whole town, Doctor,” the man said. “This is our decision. They all have to go.”
“Screw the decision, that man can’t do a da
mn thing for himself!” Lauren got in the man’s face, “He’s staying!”
The other man approached Cooper and took his arm. Karen quickly batted it away and swore at him. “Don’t touch him!”
The man brandished his pistol. “This is the only way! Now step aside—”
“Put it down!”
Everyone turned around. A newcomer stood in the door, holding her own pistol, aimed at the head of the pistol-toting man.
“Nadia!” Lauren whispered.
The former policewoman was braced against the doorframe, holding her weapon, which quaked a little in her hand. She didn’t look in the best of shape, but she clearly could drop the two men if she wanted to do so.
“Nadia Daniels,” the first man said, “I’ve seen you before.”
“Yeah, and you know I could drop your ass in a second if I wanted. So, back off.” She waved at the second man. “You, too.”
“You can’t stop this,” the first man said. “Everyone’s leaving peacefully. You try stopping us, more are going to show up and someone could end up dead.”
“Oh, don’t worry your pretty head. I’m not staying long. I came back to get Jamie. I figured he wouldn’t be in any shape to go out on his own. Besides, I thought I could use the company.”
“You sure about this?” the first man asked.
Karen approached Nadia. “I’m coming, too.”
“Cool. Get him ready. We’re all leaving together,” Nadia said.
“Got room for one more?” Lauren asked.
“Hey, the more the merrier,” Nadia said.
“Wait, you’re one of the town’s top doctors!” the second man said. “You can’t go!”
“Really?” Lauren put a hand on her hip.
“A doctor is supposed to treat patients. You’re kicking out all the patients. So, I’m going where they’re going.” She started walking away. “Nadia, give me about forty minutes and I’ll be set!”
Nadia smiled as she turned to the two men. “I suggest you two get lost. We’ve got packing to do.”
Tom looked out beyond the fence that separated his backyard from the front. From here, he could see people on the streets for the first time in a long time. But the sight made him slightly ill.
Men from the public meeting were going door to door. The men were dressed in protective gear and oxygen masks, so Tom couldn’t see their faces. One of the men held a clipboard. Tom bristled. He knew the clipboard held a list of names. Once the men had verified that the sick person or persons had left the house, their name would be crossed off.
I wonder if anyone out there is hiding their illness? Tom thought. Imagine the poor bastard if he was discovered after the town was cleared.
One of the doors across the street opened up. Tom took a few minutes to watch as one man stepped out. He walked slowly. He was dressed and carried a bag, but he looked unsteady. The poor guy trembled. A minute later, a young woman followed. She wore a backpack. Evidently, she was healthy, and had elected to go along with her sick family member.
A set of footsteps approached. Tom didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
“You know the worst part? You gave them those protective suits and masks. If it wasn’t for you, a lot more people would be sick and dead.”
Cheryl stepped into the view of Tom’s right eye. “Hey,” she said softly, “let’s not leave angry. They’re just desperate.”
“I know.” Tom turned to behold his wife. She was dressed in khaki pants, a green top and black hiking boots. She would have looked like her old self if her face wasn’t pale and sweaty.
Tom escorted her through the house and out the front door. All thirteen of their kids were waiting.
“Hi,” Cheryl said.
Tom looked at their faces. They were overjoyed to see their mother, but at the same time, this reunion was fleeting. By the end of the day, they’d be separated from both of their parents.
Damn, Tom said. How the hell can I go through with this? No, he had to do it. This was the only way to save his family.
Their first stop was at Ricardo’s home. Rinaldo, Dominick, Terry, Charlie and Fred stepped forward. Ricardo came out of the house with a big smile.
“Hello! Well, look at you! My house will be full of life for the next few weeks, right?”
Terry smiled, but not enthusiastically. “Yeah, we’re definitely full of life.”
Ricardo turned his head. “Juan! Rio! Get your butts out here and show our friends to their rooms!”
Juan and Rio rushed out onto the front lawn. The boys’ expressions lit up when the saw the Criver boys. “C’mon!” Rio waved to them. “Let’s go inside!”
The boys did go in, but not without some reluctance. Tom and Cheryl did some additional goodbyes and comforting before they all went in. Now it was just the adults. Ricardo’s smile faded a little as he talked to Tom.
“I will protect your kids with my very life.”
“I know you will.” Tom felt as if the wind was knocked out of his lungs. “This isn’t as easy as I thought.”
“Are you still angry with Lee for keeping the meeting from you, for putting all of this into motion?”
Tom shook his head. “I only care about saving my family. If I make it through this, and we all return home, then that’s all that matters. What about you? Did they put you through any shit for telling me?”
“A few dirty looks. I probably will not get a Christmas card this year.” Ricardo grinned. “But it is fine.”
The Crivers’ second stop was at the library. Catherine Rossi waited outside with Russ and Randy. This would be the stop for Alice, Annie, Kristin and Jackie. Catherine was overjoyed to see Cheryl again, but Tom quickly had to remind her not to hug Cheryl in case she was contagious. Sadly, Tom had to remind the girls not to do the same for their mother, despite their wish to hold her. Even Cheryl was in agony and couldn’t hide her tears.
A tear-stricken Kristin then reached into her pocket and pulled out a card. “Here…Mommy, Daddy, this is for you!”
Tom took the card and held it up for both he and Cheryl to open. It was a “Come Back Soon” card. All the kids had signed it.
“Thanks, Kristin,” Tom said.
Catherine reached behind and held Kristin by her shoulders. “That was very sweet, baby,” the librarian whispered.
Tom tried to laugh, but it was labored. “You get all the books you can ask for the next few weeks! You better tell me and your mom all about it when we get back!”
Alice and Annie nodded. Kristin and Jackie said “Okay,” both through their tears.
“So, where are you two going?” Catherine asked, “Are you going to camp out in the woods?”
“There’s a tiny cul-de-sac town we found nestled away off the state road,” Tom said. “We found it when we were coming back from Adelson. We think we can get there and ride it out until Cheryl is better. We gave the location to Obie.”
Catherine smiled. “Then I’ll take good care of your girls until you get back.”
The third stop was the Eagleton diner. This is where Michael, Sam, Irvin and Amir would stay. Obadiah Stone already was outside, along with Inga and Edgar.
Tom smiled at Irvin. “You’re going to love this place. You’re going to become a master chef by the time we get back to town.”
Irvin smiled. “Yeah.”
Now it was time for the boys to go inside. He watched them go, then turned his attention to Stone.
“Good luck to you, Squirrel.” Stone extended his hand.
Tom took it. “Thanks.”
Stone then turned his attention to Cheryl. “And same to you, Lady.”
Cheryl nodded. “I’d hug you, but…” She shrugged.
“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, I can wait.”
Tom backed up a step, but someone caught his eye. Amir had not gone inside.
“Papa,” he said. Tom smiled.
“I love you,” Amir’s expression began to crack. The boy then turned and walked inside with h
eavy steps.
Tom’s eyes stung with tears. “Damn.” He stumbled backward. Cheryl stood there, close to him.
“I know,” she said softly. “I know it hurts. But we did the right thing.”
Tom nodded. “Yeah.”
“We better start walking,” Cheryl said.
Somehow, Tom made his legs obey.
Lauren turned around to behold Eagleton. The town slowly was fading away behind the quartet of travelers as they made their way down the small road. She likely would not see it again for a long time, and there was even a chance she may never see it again at all.
“Jamie, for crying out loud, why are you pushing?” Karen asked.
Lauren glanced backward. She had commandeered a covered wagon used to ferry sick people to Eagleton’s hospital. But now it was filled with medical equipment and survival gear that she hastily had thrown into it. Karen and Nadia were pushing it along, with Jamie also pushing it near the left rear section.
“I don’t need to see to know this wagon is here,” Cooper said, “Even a blind man can’t miss this.”
“You’re also weak. Lauren told you to get in the wagon,” Karen said.
“No. I will help,” he insisted.
Lauren caught back up to her three friends. “I’ll keep out front. Anything goes wrong…” She pulled out her gun. “Well, I’ll be the first to know.”
“Hey,” Nadia said, “It’s hard leaving, isn’t it?”
“No kidding.”
“Yeah,” Nadia sighed. “I wonder if I should have gone back to help Cheryl and Tom? I thought by leaving I’d make things easier on him. But if Cheryl’s being exiled anyway…”
“Hey,” Lauren interrupted.
“I’m sure you did the best you could. I’m willing to bet Tom’s got Cheryl in good hands.” She glanced at Cooper, taking awkward steps forward. “Besides, you may have saved one person’s life. We may need you more than Cheryl does right now.”
As she walked, something nagged at Lauren. She turned in Nadia’s direction and asked, “You said you left by yourself. Why did you come back? You said you wanted to bring along Jamie. Was that it?”