by E S Richards
“You’re right,” Chase admitted to his sister. “We’re going to have to approach this trip with a lot more caution than I’d thought. Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I am,” Riley said resolutely. “Are you?”
Chase nodded. “Good,” he said as he pulled the truck down a side alley on the outskirts of the city, the layout of the buildings and the streets that surrounded them looking more familiar though still strangely eerie due to the gray shroud that covered everything. “Let’s make a plan.”
Their situation didn’t improve much as the two siblings huddled in the front of the truck, poring over maps of the city and planning their route for supplies as the hours passed by. Their first decision as a pair was not to go into the city overnight. That meant they had the rest of the afternoon and all of the evening to plan and prepare themselves, then they would hopefully be fresh for the task in the morning.
The sky only grew darker in color as they planned, the cloud seeming to get lower and lower above them, covering them in a claustrophobic manner. It was like a ghost, reaching into all corners it could find and sending long, thin arms off to search for survivors. Riley thought of her grandparents and wished she hadn’t left them the way she had. She was glad to be with Chase—especially after what had happened at the hardware store, she didn’t want him to be sitting in Houston by himself—even as she regretted not saying a proper goodbye to Linda and Jerry.
It caused her a great deal of pain to picture them around the kitchen table by themselves. Worrying about her, wondering where their grandchildren were. Ignoring the fact that Riley herself had technically run away, both she and Chase should’ve been home by now. She could only guess at what was going through her grandmother’s head. Linda had so much on her plate at the moment already with looking after Jerry. Ultimately, Riley understood it had been selfish of her to leave. She should’ve stayed to help her grandma—she should’ve pulled her weight. Now that wasn’t her choice to make anymore; she was with Chase and the two of them had to make the best of their situation.
Chase held his sister in the back seat of the truck as she fell asleep. He was uncomfortable. The position of Riley’s body made his arm fall asleep, a sacrifice he was willing to make if it meant his sister slept well. They had conceived their plan of action for the morning, now there was nothing left to do save wait.
From the food and water the two of them had brought, they’d had a makeshift meal to keep them going, but Chase’s stomach still grumbled as he waited for sleep to claim him. Aside from the other items they were searching for tomorrow, any food and water they could gather was an added bonus. From how much everything had deteriorated in the few days since the volcano first exploded, Chase had a feeling things were going to go on quite a lot longer than just a couple of weeks.
Closing his eyes and trying to get some rest, Chase pushed all those thoughts to the back of his mind for the time being. Things didn’t look good, so before he could worry himself with the bigger picture, he had to focus on what was right in front of him. Slowing his breathing so he could try and sleep, Chase willed the darkness to surround him just a little bit further.
It was probably the worst night’s sleep he’d ever had. Chase woke countless times throughout the night, both as a result of how uncomfortable the truck was and the nightmares that curled through his head. Each time he woke he was covered in sweat, his body shaking and his palms moist from what he had imagined.
“Hey,” he murmured and still managed to smile at his sister as she peeled open her eyes in the shreds of morning sunlight that threatened to break through the dark cloud. “Sleep well?”
Riley groaned, rubbing her eyes and sitting more upright. “Uhh. Not really, you?”
“Nope,” Chase laughed, “not at all. You hungry?”
Nodding, Riley straightened herself out even further, reaching into the side pocket of the door and pulling out a bottle of water. Downing a few long sips she found herself feeling more awake and she could see Chase had dug out a couple of breakfast bars for them to munch on as well. They both ate quickly, movement restricted in the truck but neither of them wanting to open the doors until they absolutely had to. They both knew when they walked out into the city things would have to step up a notch and that meant leaving their fears and worries behind and facing Houston with a brave face and a back pocket full of ammunition.
In the hours they’d spent poring over maps and discussing where they were going to find what they needed, Chase and Riley had also deliberated over what they should do if—and more than likely, when—they ran into other people again. Chase had revealed the rifle that Pop had given him and the knife that was strapped to his ankle. Riley also bashfully pulled out the kitchen knife she had pilfered from the farmhouse, bringing it only as a precaution. Neither of them wanted to use the weapons, but both had agreed they might be necessary to threaten others with.
“You remember the way?” Riley asked her brother as he finally clicked open the door of the truck and stepped outside into the street.
“Yeah,” Chase nodded confidently. Another thing they had both agreed on was that it was best to leave the truck behind until they found exactly what they were looking for. The back alley where Chase had parked was fairly discreet and the truck was old enough for people to walk past it without thinking it would work. Driving through the city would definitely draw more attention to the pair of them and they wanted to keep some element of secrecy about them. “You ready?”
Riley swallowed and followed her brother out into the street. Any glimpse of sunlight that she’d thought she’d seen when she woke up that morning was long gone. The city was even darker than it had been out in the countryside. Buildings soared above her head and made Riley feel like she was trapped inside a maze. There was no variation in the sky above them either—just dark clouds that billowed like a huge ship’s sails. At least the rain had stopped, the air just feeling cold and dry as she pulled her Re-Breather up and over her face.
“Let’s do this,” she spoke through the pillowcase, taking a few deep breaths to make sure her device still worked. Riley was proud of the invention; she just hoped that her grandma could make another one for Pop too. They had only finished three by the time she and Chase left and she felt guilty once again for leaving her grandparents without the proper protection they both needed.
But now wasn’t the time to lose her head thinking over what could’ve been. Riley had put herself in this position and now she had to follow through; she had to be brave and be there for her brother. Together, they could get through anything and conquer the world. It was like they’d always pretended as children: they were a heroic pair, just them against the world. No matter what evil stood in their way, good would prevail and Riley and Chase would live to fight again.
Chapter 8
The city was unnerving to walk through. It was still very early in the morning and so neither Chase nor Riley expected many people to be around, but it was obvious that the city was far from empty. The cloud made it feel that way too. It was like there was always someone hovering over their shoulders, a moist hand reaching out to grab them from behind. Riley could almost feel the weight of the darkness on top of her, pushing her down to Earth and making her feel like she was suffocating.
The first living creature they saw was a stray dog, crossing their path as it padded down an alleyway without a care in the world. It didn’t give either of them a passing thought either, merely turning its head to one side and panting a couple of times before continuing its journey.
Chase figured it hadn’t been a stray for very long and was likely making its way back to the house where its owner used to live. Perhaps whoever owned it still lived there; perhaps it wasn’t a stray at all. It was hard to discern which elements of the city life were unchanged and which had been destroyed by the volcano. The streets looked the same aside from a thicker layer of dirt than usual, but there was definitely a sense that something was wrong in the air. It was
quiet. Too quiet. Like a ghost town that everyone was afraid of awakening.
“Chase,” Riley nudged her brother in the ribs. “Look!”
Following Riley’s pointed finger, Chase looked into the window she was staring at. A thick layer of dust covered the outside of it, though he could still make out two faces pressed against the glass. Chase’s mouth gaped; there were a couple of children inside, one boy probably similar to Riley in age and then another a few years younger. The two boys watched them with confused expressions on their faces, curious about the strangers wandering down the back alley.
“This is weird,” Riley continued as they walked past the window, passing so close to the boys that they could’ve reached out and touched them if the glass wasn’t there. They were like ghosts, frozen in time behind the window like characters you would find in a museum. “It’s spooky.”
“I know,” Chase agreed. “I don’t like it. Let’s just find what we need and get home.”
“What’s on the list again?”
Chase pulled the piece of scrap paper from his pocket, along with a torn page from the instruction manual he’d found at the hardware store. There wasn’t much needed really; a roof was surprisingly basic to build. They needed wooden panels for the truss or framework, strong enough to support the weight of the metal sheeting which would be laid on top. Another tarpaulin—which they already had back at the farmhouse—would sit between them as a waterproof layer and then roofing nails—which they also already had—would hold it all together. It sounded simple, just wood and metal.
Pop had said they could use the same materials to fix up the corner of the wall that had also crumbled in the disaster. If the weather cleared up for long enough, then they could attempt to plaster it with the gear in the barn. In the meantime the metal sheeting would have to suffice. Riley’s bedroom wouldn’t be a place where anyone could live comfortably for some time, but their work would at least help to support the roof and stop it from collapsing further, while insulating the house against the raging storm.
Chase hoped that his grandparents were managing all right by themselves. He had faith in both of them and knew they could look after each other. He also worried about his grandfather’s health and whether his grandmother would be able to deal with the mental strain.
“Down here,” Chase turned out of the alley they were traversing and stepped onto a fairly major street within the city. Immediately their outlook on the place changed. People were visible in almost all the windows, individuals walked the streets much like they did and groups crowded together on the corners, whispering in hushed voices.
“Wow,” Riley exclaimed, the sudden influx of people taking her by surprise. “What do we do?”
Chase stepped forward, moving his body so he stood slightly in front of his younger sister. He wanted to protect her, even if these people didn’t seem dangerous. There were perhaps fifty or so men and women wandering around—a more appropriate sight for one of the biggest cities in America. Everything was moving at an incredibly slow pace, no one running away in fear or panicking over what had happened. The street looked odd, like it was from a time long ago when the city had far fewer people than it did now.
“Don’t make eye contact with anyone,” Chase suggested as he started to move, staying as close to the sidewalk and away from the center of the street as he could. It was busy everywhere though. He couldn’t avoid everyone. The houses themselves all looked perfectly intact still. They were dark inside, no lights illuminating the hallways or brightening the windows, but aside from that, fine. Despite that, it seemed like a large number of people who lived there had chosen to gather outside on the street instead. They looked like they were waiting for something. Chase had no idea what.
What Riley noticed right away was how sick most people looked. They passed an old woman who sat on the sidewalk with a blanket around her shoulders, her skin pale and waxy like she was in need of a good meal. They all looked homeless to Riley, like they didn’t actually belong in any of the houses that lined the street and instead had come from the even poorer parts of Houston, farther downtown.
That was an area that she and Chase were deliberately trying to avoid. Like all big cities, Houston was awash with gang activity and they both knew that it would break out and take control in the poorer areas first. Perhaps that was why the people had migrated to this area, downtown already overrun with violence.
“What are you doing here?” A woman suddenly grabbed hold of Riley by the shoulders and shook her body, a deranged look on her face. “It’s not safe. You need to hide!”
“Hey!” Chase came to his sister’s aid in a second, pushing the woman off her and positioning his body in between the two of them. “Get off her! What are you doing?”
“Children!” Another woman suddenly called from across the street. “You need to go! They’ll be here soon!”
Riley looked at Chase with a confused expression on her face, several of the people in the street now staring at the both of them. Then it dawned on her. Children. There weren’t any. She and Chase were the youngest people there by a long shot, not a child or anyone who looked remotely close in age nearby.
“You need to hide,” the first woman repeated, her voice rising with panic as a siren started to go off somewhere deeper into the city. “They’re coming. They’ll take you away if they find you.”
“What?” Chase argued back, reluctant to believe what this woman was saying until he had a real reason to do so. “Who’s coming? Where will they take us?”
“The soldiers!” The woman practically screamed in their faces. “The soldiers are coming!”
Chase looked at Riley. This woman was clearly insane, but he couldn’t deny that something was happening. More people were flooding out of the houses and lining the streets than before, yet there were still no children present. Chase remembered the young boys they’d seen in the window in the alley and how surprised they had appeared to see them out and about—maybe there was a reason for their shock. That only presented a bigger question: where were all the children and what was happening to them?
“Hey.” A man appeared in front of Chase and Riley suddenly, taking them both by surprise and drawing their attention away from the insane woman who had dashed across the street and joined the throng of people lining the other side. “She’s right,” the man spoke quickly. “You two need to hide. Quick—come with me.”
“Why?” Chase questioned, but the man had already turned his back and was walking away. Chase looked down at his sister and then back up to the man, who was beckoning them to follow with his arm.
“Come on,” the man called. “We need to hurry!”
“Oh jeez,” Chase sighed loudly, torn over what to do. “Come on, Riley. Let’s follow him. Stay close.”
Riley grasped her brother’s hand and followed him closely, the man who was leading the way turning back every few seconds to check they were still there. Everyone else on the street had taken a position along one sidewalk, lined up neatly and waiting for something as the siren continued to go off in the distance. They turned a corner at the end of the street and the man jogged forward to push open a door to one of the houses, holding it open for the pair of them.
“Inside,” he spoke, “hurry!”
“Wait,” Chase tried to argue as the man pushed them inside. “What’s going on?”
“I can’t explain now,” the man spoke quickly, looking back over his shoulder with a look of worry. “I’ll be back once it’s over. Just get inside and hide. Don’t come out until I return, okay?”
He didn’t wait for a response, pulling the door closed and trapping Chase and Riley inside before he ran back down the street and joined the line of people on the sidewalk. Chase and Riley looked at each other with astonishment. They didn’t know how to react; everything had happened so quickly they barely had a second to process it all before they were stuck inside someone’s house. Chase didn’t like it. He was instantly suspicious of everyone in the city
and he was reluctant to stay inside. The siren that continued to sound and the fear on everyone’s faces as they’d lined up worried him somewhat though, and the lack of children was impossible to avoid.
“What do you think is happening?” Riley asked, taking a few steps away from the front door and walking further into the small house. It was the lowest level of an apartment block, the only one with a separate door to the rest of the building, it seemed. “Where are all the children?”
“I don’t know,” Chase thought more to himself, trying to make sense of what was happening. “What do you think we should do?”
Riley pursed her lips. She appreciated that Chase was asking for her opinion and input on things, but she didn’t feel any more certain in her views than he did. She didn’t trust the man who had pushed them into the house after what had happened with their truck, but she also didn’t think he was dangerous. She was more curious and concerned about what was happening in Houston with the children—or lack of them—and she believed that maybe the man would have the answers to help them.
“I think we should stay here,” Riley announced as the sound of the siren finally stopped blaring. Everything fell quiet after her words, letting them truly sink in and somehow giving Chase’s response more gravity.
“Okay,” he nodded. “I’m with you. I want to find out what’s going on here.”
The two siblings didn’t say anything more on the matter, moving deeper into the house and sitting at the kitchen island at the end of the apartment. It was a fairly small and dingy place with low ceilings and cobwebs hanging off the doors. It looked like the man lived there alone, very few pictures or personal effects covering the walls or cabinets. It was basic. Simple and no-nonsense—the sort of place a bachelor would live if he had given up on finding a wife, or at least that was the impression that Chase got from it.