“That. It… I don’t know what that’s going to mean long term.”
“Let’s see if my truck starts,” I told her, fishing my keys out as I got in.
I turned the ignition, and my truck fired right up. I had their keys on the same ring, so I turned it off and walked over to their car and got in. The dome light came on, and I heard the ringing sound when I put the key in the ignition and turned it. Their old car fired up as well. I turned it off and got out.
“That seems to be fine,” I told her then fished my phone out of my pocket.
It was off this time, and I tried to turn it on. Nothing. I took the back off, pulled the battery, and then put it back in and tried to reboot my phone. Nothing. I started fearing something worse when I saw a crack in the bottom corner of the screen. I cursed. At some point, I must have hit it or banged it up in my tumble or when I was fighting the fire. I had a couple of burner phones left, but they were locked up in the barn in my stall. Because of the work I had been doing, I’d bought a ton at once and stashed them in various containers, though I doubted any of them had more than a passing charge.
“Your phone dead?” Grandpa called from the porch.
I looked up, and he was in the doorway, Raider at his feet.
“Yeah, broke it when I fell,” I told him.
“Where’s the damn fire crews?” he called.
“You call 911?” I asked him.
“Landline has been dead since the power went out,” Grandma told me softly.
“Really? That’s strange, it carries its own—”
“I know, none of this makes much sense,” Grandpa interrupted.
“I think I’m going to head into town and see what’s going on. You think things look good up the hill?”
“I’ve been watching you the whole damned time. You got it put out good. Got no reason to worry, I figure,” he said, the last word sounding like ‘finger’.
“Thanks. I just—”
“You need information. Keep your radio on and take one of your phones, see if you can get any news on the internets.”
“The Internet,” I corrected.
“Don’t you sass me, boy, or I’ll show you the internets!” Grandpa said, shaking a fist, but he was smiling.
Raider barked happily and then danced around in a circle, his tail going a mile a minute.
“I won’t. Raider, let’s go,” I told my pup.
He started my way when Grandpa called, “Don’t forget this.” He disappeared for a second and came out a minute later with my holster and pistol.
I took it and slid it into my jeans on the right and readjusted my belt. I’d taken it off during a lull in keeping the flames from spreading, and Grandma had brought it in the house on one of her many trips. I looked at her, and she smiled. She had done a lot of walking up and down the hill today, and I could see that she was exhausted from that, not to mention all the stress she must be feeling.
“Grandma, make sure you get your rest. You’ve done more walking today than normal.”
“I’ll be fine, but my feet are going to be a little bit sore.”
“I’ll pump water when I get home. You still got pressure?” I asked her.
“Some. Enough for a pot of water, I think.”
“Ok, I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I told them, opening my truck door, Raider hopping in.
“You're forgetting a shirt,” Grandma told me.
“I got one behind the seat if I decide to get out and do some shopping,” I told her.
“Get your lady friend—”
“Love you guys, be safe. Keep the shotgun handy in case the zombies come while I’m away.”
13
There was traffic on the street as I got into town, but it wasn’t the usual. Coming in from the direction I did, it went from countryside to town fast. I could see smoke coming from different directions but no leaping flames, no airplanes falling out of the sky. If this was the apocalypse, it was a silent, sooty-smelling one. My radio had been static across all channels, and when I stopped at the stoplight that wasn’t lit, somebody going the other way stopped next to me and rolled down the window in her newer SUV.
“Any word?” she asked.
“I don’t really know what’s going on. We had a transformer blow at our house, and the phone lines seem to be down.”
“Cell phones don’t work either,” the woman said.
She was in her late thirties or early forties. She had decals on the back of her SUV with the stick figure family, two of them with soccer balls in their stick hands. She looked the part of a soccer mom, and I wondered if her kids were at school. I knew it was a strange thought, but there you go.
“I thought it was just mine,” I told her.
“Maybe whatever took out the power knocked out the cell phone towers?” she asked.
“I thought those were all on a backup. Something about FEMA?”
“I don’t know. I have to run, thanks for the info,” she said as she already started rolling.
I gave a half-hearted wave out the window as I pulled forward slowly and turned to head toward the fire department. I passed a telephone pole with a mini transformer that was blackened, and as I looked, I could see it had been one of the streamers of smoke I had seen. I pulled into the station a few moments later, but the bay doors where the fire engines were kept were open, and I didn’t see anybody inside.
I pulled a button-up shirt on and did half the buttons so I’d cover my gun and got out, holding the door for Raider. He hopped out and gave a happy bark then sat down next to me.
“We’ll check and see if they have any information, or go to the police station.”
He cocked his head to the side, staring at me intently. I shrugged then slammed the door and walked inside.
“Hello?” I called out.
I could see where the trucks had been and saw half the lockers along one wall were open. Personal belongings were stacked haphazardly in the open lockers like they had been in a hurry. I walked in further, looking for an office, hoping to find somebody left behind who might know something. I knew that emergency services like the fire and police had backups to the backups, and I hoped somebody had a radio or landline that worked. It was quiet as death in here.
“Hello?” I called again, walking further inside, realizing how dark it was without the artificial light. “I’m starting to think nobody’s here,” I told Raider.
“Hey!” somebody called from behind me.
I turned and saw somebody standing in the doorway of the large roll-up I’d come in from.
“Hello!” I called back, turning and started walking his way. “Raider, stay close, remember your manners.”
Raider grumbled at me, probably telling me he was better mannered than I was. Mouthy little git.
“You looking for the fire department?” the man called again.
“Yes, I had a transformer blow up near my house, and the phones are down,” I called back, seeing a uniformed deputy, my blood running cold.
I was carrying a loaded gun concealed without a license, and I had a natural fear of cops. I didn’t know why, but it was probably because I had spent a lifetime skirting, if not outright violating, the law to some degree or another.
“Anybody hurt? Is the fire spreading?”
“No, I got it out, but we live out in the middle of nowhere, and I was looking for any information I could and figured I’d report it in.”
“I can write down your information and pass it on to them. With the power down and transformers going up in smoke around the city, the boys will be busy for a bit. What’s your name and address?” he asked, pulling a notepad out of his breast pocket.
“Westley Flagg,” I told him, then gave him the address to the homestead.
“I’ve heard of you,” he said with a hard to place accent, a smile on his face.
Pure buckets of fear dumped in my veins again, but I kept my poker face straight.
“I try to keep my nose clean. If you�
�re talking about that bar fight about five years back…”
“Naw, I had the boss give me something delicious to try. Said if I ever pulled you over… Anyway. A pleasure to meet you.”
“Uh… Nice to meet you too,” I said, feeling surreal.
The boss was telling him to look the other way? I was friendly with a couple locals, but this wasn’t one I knew or recognized. I felt somewhat… scared, yet relieved. I guess I over the years I hadn’t been secretive enough. That could sometimes come with poor consequences, and now that I was done running shine in large quantities, I might as well dismantle things. I made a mental note.
“Your dog seems pretty well trained. You work with him a lot?” he asked.
“Yeah, but to be honest, after the first few classes, I think he was training me,” I admitted.
Raider bumped my leg with his shoulder, and I could hear his tail wagging, making a swish swish sound, then he let out a happy bark.
“That does it, off to the police academy for you, smarty pants,” he said to Raider, “I’m Dave… er, Dave Rolston. New guy in town.”
“Weston Flagg, friends call me Wes; this fella I call Raider,” I said putting my hand out there. “Listen, do you know what’s going on?” I asked him.
“We got a notice that the solar storm might wreak havoc on our radio and communications. I hope…”
“I’m kind of scared,” I admitted.
“Yeah, well, don’t let it get stuck in your head,” he said then put his hand down low for Raider to sniff. He gently licked it before backing up to my side.
“I’ll try not to, but when a transformer goes out, we’re without power for a day or two. We’ve got multiple out by the look of it, and power lines down all over.”
“Yeah, I’ve been worried about that myself, but I’m not sure… the more modern cruisers are all working, it’s just that there’s nothing for the computers or the radios to communicate with. If it was something crazy… I mean, it would have taken out the modern cars, right?”
I think he was worried about an EMP or the solar storm that might have caused a CME, but I wasn’t for sure, and I could feel the gun under my shirt seemingly getting heavier.
“I don’t know. I’ve read electronics could be either or in a car if something big happened… but our power lines were sagging and starting to smoke when the transformer blew in front of our house.”
“That’s… wow,” he said, and I realized that he was about my age, maybe a little younger.
“You know, there was talk about cascading power failures on the talk radio. You don’t think…?”
“Let’s hope it’s just localized and nothing bigger.”
“What… I mean… Do you know who is on the emergency planning for the city?” I asked, suddenly changing the subject.
“You know what, I actually do. It was in my orientation packet I got about three weeks ago. That’s the mayor, Doctor McMasters, and the pharmacist at the Rite Aid, but I can’t remember his name.”
“Rite Aid…” I remembered Grandpa had some prescriptions that were faxed there. I had planned on picking them up today, but with the chaos, I’d forgotten.
“That’s good to know. You know, if this lasts for more than a little while, things are going to get crazy.”
“Don’t you and I both know it. I was in New Orleans during Katrina.”
“You don’t look old enough—”
“Naw, my parents lived there. We moved northeast after things… well… we never went back.”
“I understand,” I said. “So… nobody knows yet?”
“No. Still waiting for the fire boys to check back in. I was heading over here to check on them when I found you two guys poking around.”
Raider barked in agreement.
“You talk back, I like that!” Officer Rolston said.
Raider sat, and his tail started wagging furiously again.
“He’s pretty opinionated too. Listen, this whole thing has me a little nervous. I’m going to check in at the pharmacy and see if they’re open and see if I can talk to the pharmacist.”
“Alright. Take it easy.”
“Thanks,” I said and walked back out into the sunlight.
“I can only do cash sales right now, with the power out, I can’t run the cards.”
“I can do that, it’s for Bud Flagg, my grandpa. I was supposed to pick them up earlier but…” I said, shrugging and pointing up at the darkened lights.
The pharmacy was almost pitch black and what little light made it to the back barely lit things up enough. If it weren’t for the drive-through window letting in some illumination, it would be impossible for him to work back there.
“Ah yeah, I already ran that one through the insurance, knew he or Lucinda would be in sooner or later.”
“Yeah, she's worn out from helping me get the fire out in front of our place—”
“Fire?”
“We had a transformer go up. She ran me out water and, being in her eighties, that driveway wore her out. So I’m here instead,” I told him.
Picking up the medicine wasn’t something I did very often, and if it weren’t for the pharmacist in here now, the store would likely be closed. Still, I was thankful.
“I remember you. Been a while though, you got older,” he said, a smile touching the edge of his lips.
“Don’t we all?” I asked, signing the forms he’d already printed out as he took the bag from the far end of the counter.
“Only thing surer than taxes is the grim reaper,” he shot back.
Death and taxes. I liked his spin on the saying.
“Hey, one of the officers said you’re on the emergency response board?”
“Sure, we meet once a quarter or so…?” His answer came back as more of a question by the sound of it, but I was furiously signing the paperwork.
“What do you guys have planned in case of an EMP or a CME?” I asked him.
“Oh well, we contact our local FEMA agency, get in touch with the governor, make sure the police department… hey now. What are you saying?”
“Nothing really, I’m just curious. This is a big area, not huge like Little Rock, but I figured there was some sort of… You know…”
“You’re worried somebody let off an air burst up high, fried all this stuff out?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.
“Well, that or that solar storm everyone’s been talking about,” I admitted.
“I don’t think you’re old enough to remember, but this has happened before. Sure, it caused a fuss, but we had an issue with a power plant in a hot summer, kind of like we’ve got now. The wires seemed to melt, but I don’t think we had fires like we’ve had here. That might put us down for a little bit, but as soon as we get the work crews out here, they should have our city back up in power again in no time.”
“That’s kind of a relief,” I told him truthfully. “How do you get in touch with FEMA for updates?”
“Well now, the mayor’s in charge of that… or city manager… I don’t remember what title that is now.”
“Gotcha,” I said, taking the small sack of medication. “Thanks for the info, and thanks for staying open despite not having power.”
“People need their medication,” he said with a shrug. “I just might piss and moan about no light or air conditioning after a while. Nothing new about that, though.”
I thanked him again and left. Raider was waiting for me on the front seat of the truck, his head hanging out the window. He gave a happy bark when he saw me. I opened the door and put the bag in as he took his spot. I was about to turn the key on when a car came gliding in next to me, one I recognized.
“Hey,” Jessica said, “we still on for tonight? Oh hey, are you ok?” she asked.
“I’m fine, why?” I asked her.
“You smell like fire, and you’re streaked with soot,” she said.
“Transformer blew up in front of our house. No power, no phone, and cell phones don’t seem to work. I headed i
nto town to get Grandpa’s meds and find out what was going on. To be honest, I sorta forgot…” I said, feeling dumb, even though Grandma had teased me about it.
Repeatedly.
“Oh, no worries. I was going to tell you I was going to be running late. Need to see if they are open. Dad’s new heart medicine is in.”
“It’s open inside,” I told her. “How’s he doing? Your father?”
“Good, he’s on something that sounds like Elequist or something? They changed it from his Coumadin. The stint worked, and he’s doing a ton better.”
“That’s good to hear. Listen, I can pay for a missed class, but to be honest, beating that fire out with a shovel has me wore out. Forgive me if I miss a Friday?”
“You beat the fire out with a shovel?” she asked , getting out of her car, closing her door, and leaning across the top.
“Caught the grass and some brush on fire under the pole. It was going to spread fast, so I had to keep running around, smacking, digging and raking.”
“That’s why you smell like a struck match,” she said with a smile.
“Probably look like one too,” I admitted.
“I don’t mind if you miss. We’ll just reschedule, but you don’t need to pay me for today.”
“That’s great, thanks,” I said relieved, because that three hundred was going to have to last me for a long time, especially if this power outage was temporary, because prices were about to go up like they did with every natural disaster. “Give you some more time to go up to the Barred Rooster,” I said.
Something in her face fell, and she wasn’t quite frowning, but it was a mixture of regret and anger with a touch of sadness that came across her features. “I broke up with Lance two days ago. Found out he’s been fooling around with one of the ladies who works for him.”
“I’m… sorry, that’s horrible. I didn’t know.”
“Don’t. He was fun at first, but it really didn’t break my heart so much as it pissed me off. We had our own issues, so this was probably a good thing, right?”
“Right?” I answered, hoping that was what she wanted to hear.
“You know, you’re a good listener. I have to run. With the phones down, how do I get in touch with you?”
Blackout: Still Surviving Page 10