Boston Darkens

by Michael Kravitz

  If a bad storm was headed our way, I could see him parting the Red Sea for us. He would keep it simple. He would say, “Follow me,” and give no other words. The power of a few simple words is better than a filibuster on the floor of Congress.

  Men—we are such simple animals. Keep our belly filled and give us the touch of a female. Bingo, that’s the formula. I have tried to be a good husband at all times. Of course I looked at other females. Even President Carter has said he has had lust in his heart. He did not act on it, and neither have I. I really did miss Alice touching me. In time I was sure she would again. It had to be on her terms for it to feel natural. Now I was thankful to be alive. I was still dealing with that life I took. All the talk and condolences did not help.

  It was only time. William had told me many times that our souls never die. Maybe in the heat of the moment, she chose the dark side. Before I slept, I touched my own Bible.

  “Lord,” I said, “I really need you now more than ever. Please, Lord. Please, Jesus, give me strength. This so very hard. I am really finding it difficult. Thank you, Jesus.” I cried softly. I had to be strong for my family and neighbors.

  I needed a good night’s sleep. I had only one bathroom run. I always got up early. Living on a farm would do that to you. I ate oatmeal. Having eggs every morning was a bit much for me.

  The collaborative was doing well. All of us had a good amount of veggies and bread, and for a few days, we had cooked meat thanks mostly to Vivian’s mom. To go forward, I needed to listen to the survival radio and also get to downtown Boston. We needed a road map, a light at the end of the tunnel.

  Alice was in the kitchen. She was talking to Jessica and preparing breakfast for Randy. I took the radio outside. The sundial showed 8:15 a.m. Human nature was a funny thing, In Nebraska, my neighbors came to me directly, and I would go to them. They would ask me directly, “Can we listen to your radio?” Here in the politically correct Boston area, there was a cat-and-mouse ritual—a casual passing, a casual nod, a slight glance from the distance. Crap, I thought, this is a collaborative. I am not the despot ruler of the clan.

  It was time to end the dog and pony show, foolish games. I invited everyone who wanted to come over. It was a cloudy day in the sixties. “Mr. Henderson, you are one talented contractor,” I said to him with deep respect. “With no power tools, you and your sons built a class-act well. The Buick and sundial have made this the apex of our temple. I know it is on our land. We have to respect one another. But, we need one another: Mr. Henderson and his tools, the efforts of all in a common garden even the food and good spirits of our next door neighbor.

  At this point the drunk came by. God, I was beginning to like him. I was seeing an intelligent and sensitive side to him. Behind that thespian mask, there was a quality human. He felt like he was part of something. There was now a real hunger from all of us for information. Across most of America, there was a breakdown. Without communication, we were becoming lawlessness. Was there a power vacuum? Who was the new superpower? Would we be attacked again? Where was central control? I did not blame my neighbors. I was also curious. All of us listened. The president did give a short speech. He did announce that they now knew who committed this horrible event. He also indicated that ships from different parts of the West Coast and some NATO countries were on their way. When the ships arrived, they would prioritize.

  “Prioritize? What kind of crap is that?” a neighbor screamed out. “My wife and kids played by the rules. We need to be taken care of. We need to eat and survive like the rest. Damn!” He ranted while he kicked up dirt.

  As a union worker and loyal liberal, he really believed in big government and the big tent. He always had bumper stickers and signs on his lawn. He always joined the political rallies that the union pushed. I have never argued with him. No one could. Where your bread was buttered was how you voted. He really was a decent man. I just thought sometimes his Kool-Aid was spiked. No government could prepare for this disaster. Yes, the New York Stock Exchange was closed. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange was also closed.

  After the president spoke, the rest of the news was mixed. Russia was feeling its oats. They pushed farther. The Chinese sent a few warships to Taiwan. Our new president was gutsy. He could have sent a few ships from the Seventh Fleet to help with relief efforts. If he did, it would signal weakness. Yes, the need to save American lives was important. There was a bigger need though. If we survived this attack, there would need to be a civilized world where we could live.

  The Japanese and many other countries were on high alert. There was urgent and direct talk with our consul in Taiwan. The Japanese flew a high dignitary to meet with the top commander of the US Seventh Fleet. They meet aboard an aircraft carrier. When they signed the surrender agreement after World War II, the Americans sent only tall officers. It was a face-saving gesture to Japan. It signal that the American were more physically able. This supposedly gave comfort to Japan. In reality, a bullet doesn’t care about your height. Our new president was showing signs of leadership. He sent a message to the commander. The Seventh Fleet was to stay put. In return, he pressured the government of Japan to produce survival radios and other electronic devices very quickly. Lives were at stake, and we needed to send a message to China.

  Many of the NATO countries and other alliances put their air force and military on high alert. In the end it wasn’t to come to America’s aid but rather to protect themselves. In a power vacuum, the beast could smell the blood of a wounded animal. Russia’s economy was still very weak. The Russians flying over US territory was a decoy. It was all a chess game. You could give up a few rooks to capture the king. Any territory Russia took over could be a further drain on their economy.

  China was in a paradox. They were more pragmatic than what most would think. They were an economic powerhouse. With more than a billion people, they needed buyers for their products. News coming to them and the rest of the world was sketchy. Everyone knew that the mortality count was in the thousands. If it started to climb to the millions, it would be a game changer. Time was of the essence. Survival was a natural instinct in animals and humans. With high-rises, the elderly, and a politically divided nation, it becomes a complicated mess.

  I was in as much need of information as the others in the collaborative were. We had a good thing going. All of us needed to know the big picture. Was our little well-oiled group surviving while a tsunami was ready to engulf us? It would likely take time to learn. Like newborn cubs, we needed to wander from our protective mom to seek answers. “Damn, Boston is just a short drive,” I said. “A one-hour drive on a Sunday morning. Now to all of us, it seems there is an ocean in our way. There still has to be a government entity at the big gold dome. I promised Alice I would go to the hospital to check on her mom. Jessica knows the war zone around our little parameter. Alice and Randy have yet to be exposed to these realities. I have informed our little group of my venture tomorrow. I will pick up Officer Ryan at 8:00 a.m.” Randy wanted to come, but I told him no. We could only afford to let one of us to go at a time. The family and collaborative had to survive at all costs. Randy understood.

  When one becomes emotionally drained, it is physically draining. With darkness now approaching, the sundial was of no use. It was still too early to go to bed. “Screw it,” I said. I made a couple of sandwiches. One was peanut butter. I made the other with the meat from Vivian’s mom. I knew I was not supposed to sleep right after eating, but I was emotionally done for the night. Tomorrow morning I would just drink instant coffee and eat toast. Practically speaking, I did not know what bathroom outlets would be available to me on this trip. With my wife and children, no problem, but Officer Ryan, I am not sure.

  I have enough on my mind already. I didn’t need to worry about my bodily functions. It was off to bed. Actually I enjoyed sleeping with a little cool, crisp air. I was half asleep when Alice crawled into bed. She said, “Good night, dear. Please be c
areful. The collaborative needs you.”

  She paused. “I need you,” she said with a slight tremble.

  In my sleep I heard her words. It was comforting, and I really needed to hear it. She still didn’t touch me, but we were making progress. My face showed a slight smile as I dozed off.

  It was a good night. I had sound sleep with just one trip to the bathroom. First light I was wide awake. The toilet still worked, but the water pressure was slowing. If we did lose water pressure, we would resort to the bucket brigade. Everyone would have fill buckets with water every day to fill the back of the toilets. At least there was a well for everyone in the collaborative. I wondered how the high-rises are faring. I got myself some instant coffee. This morning I took just two pieces of toast. My mental state and my constitution were in good shape. The sundial said it was almost 7:00 a.m. I put a little more gas in the Buick. Randy had done a good job keeping the gas cans filled. Both the Buick and generator were kept in a good supply of fuel. The Buick was still in a showroom display. He would always use high-grade oil. In the new cars, many used the synthetic oil. The Buick was all polished.

  Everything seemed like a go. I walked back to the house. I thought I would arrive a little early at Officer Ryan’s home. Fifteen feet from the front door, Alice came out. This was a little out of character. I stopped in my tracks.

  “Hi, hon,” I said with a little cheer.

  “After you went to bed, Jessica and I talked,” she exclaimed in a solemn tone. “I have always been closer to her than Randy. I love them both. It’s just sometimes females communicate more in an emotional manner than men. I know she finally bonded with you.”

  “This has been a really tough time for me,” she continued in an apologizing tone. “I always use Jessica as a sounding board. She does the same to me.”

  “What are you getting at, Alice?” I said with a confused and anxious manner. “I have to go meet officer Ryan for our little trip,” I said with a little impatience.

  At this point she walked up to me. She put her arms around me and started to cry.

  I was in total shock. I didn’t know how to react. She cried for several minutes. I put my hands on the back of her head.

  “Jessica saw something in you that I always knew,” she said and then collected herself.. “That you are strong, sensitive, caring, and good under adversity. She is now a daddy’s girl. Even Vivian and her mom can see it.” She wiped away a tear. “I know it was dangerous. I know this trip to Boston could be worse. I need you to know how proud I am of you and how much Jessica, Randy, and I love you. Please be careful.”

  Her touching me was utopia. I was now vulnerable. I had to be in a good state of mind for my trip. I wish I had an hour or two just to be alone with her. Reality was a bitch. I knew the trip had to move forward as scheduled. What should I say? I needed to instill confidence that everything was going to be fine. What if I don’t come back? Should I make peace with Alice and the kids? Maybe I should have written a letter in case I did not come back alive. I collected myself. The Almighty had a path for me. If I had had these doubts a few hours ago, I would have written a letter. I put my trust in him. I knew he would keep me from evil.

  “Alice, you been a great wife and mother,” I said with a loving tone. “God has blessed me with two great children. Somehow Officer Ryan is my guardian angel. Either he or someone through him is going to be my protector. I don’t know why I feel this way, but I do. It is not often I get these strong feelings, but when I do, they are always right.”

  Alice nodded in approval, her arms still around me. “I know you are right,” she exclaimed. With her right hand, she grasped the back of my head and gave me a long and loving kiss. Next she pressed herself hard against me. It was as if we were one. After a good twenty seconds, she grasped my two arms and kissed me on the cheek. “You be careful, Ben. You be very careful,” she said with a strong and commanding voice.

  At this point I had to turn around quickly. I did not want her to see my tears. I had to show strength. Maybe it was a man thing. There were a lot of things I could have said to her, but my mind turned quickly. I had to show confidence and a little leadership.

  As I walked a good ten feet away, I collected myself. “We have a lot of stops. I will not only go to the hospital, but I have to make a few stops on officer Ryan’s behalf. I should be home by dusk. Love you, honey,” I said proudly without breaking down.

  I was on my mission. I got in my car and started the engine. Damn, it purrs like a well-padded kitten. Randy really has a masterpiece with this Buick. Just one broken side mirror. Officer Ryan house was just two miles away. It was three maybe four minutes away by car, and I arrived a good fifteen minutes early. It was a small but well-kept ranch, and I pulled in his driveway when I got there. The grass and hedges were growing.

  Unless he had a simple lawn mower, he would have to let the lawn go just like the rest of us. I turned the key off. Officer Ryan came out. To my shock, another police officer came out. He was tall and a good ten years the senior to Officer Ryan. Not only was he in good shape, but his uniform was clean and pressed too. He had a short haircut, and he was clean-shaven. Damn, I thought as my stomach got a queasy feeling.

  Bones called Spock in his little communicator. “Spock here,” he said.

  “Beam me up, Spock,” Bones said with clarity.

  “What is it?” Spock answered as he sat in the commander chair aboard the Enterprise.

  “There seems to be a few humans in unbelievably pristine attire in this nuclear disaster of a planet,” Bones said in an unmistakable tone.

  “Hmm, not logical,” Spock said. “You need to find out an explanation before I will allow you to beam up. Spock over and out,”

  Spock said with authority.

  Damn, what the f–. Both Ryan and his friend had two duffel bags.

  “Good morning, Mr. Randal” Officer Ryan commented with a strong and confident voice. “This is Lieutenant Mallard. He will be joining us today.” It was as if I had no say in the manner.

  “Good morning. Nice to meet you,” the lieutenant said with a voice of a strong leader.

  The lieutenant signaled to Officer Ryan. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot.

  I’ll be right back,” Office Ryan said in an obliging manner.

  Officer Ryan went into his house and came back with two large banners.

  On a light blue background and printed in dark blue, the banners read, “State Police.” Each one also had the state seal. Both Officer Ryan and Lieutenant Mallard attached each banner to the front and back of the car. Damn, I thought. They are commandeering my car. Just two miles from my house, I am being bushwhacked. I need to call the posse (my collaborative) for help. If I had had a whistle and they could hear it, they could come to my rescue. They would make it a few hundred yards. Most were out of shape and would collapse before they made it to William’s house. Most of them would be moaning and breathing heavily by then. They would simply say, “Forget about it. Ben is on his own.”

  “Mr. Randal, Officer Ryan has told me a lot about you,” the lieutenant said.

  I had a lump in my throat. Here we go. It felt like I was flunking a test or being dumped by a pretty girlfriend. They’re going to take Randy’s car. I’m outgunned. Besides their guns are bigger than mine.

  “We have a symbiotic relationship. You need to get into Boston safely, and I need a ride for official business. I need to get to government center, and you need to get to a hospital in Boston,” he continued with a direct and informative tone. “Were you in the armed services, Mr. Randal?” he asked..

  “Yes, I was. US Army … three years. And you, Lieutenant?”

  “I was in special services … and trained as a sniper. Two tours in Iraq,” the lieutenant said with a slow and modest tone.

  Both Officer Ryan and the lieutenant had side arms. Officer Ryan took a shotgun with him. The lieuten
ant had a rifle with a scope. The bullet would follow his red line.

  The lieutenant sat in the front passenger seat and Office Ryan sat in the back. I had bookends—two Captain Americas. Will Smith just had one when he tried to take the exam to become an agent for Men in Black. I turned over the key. Randy sure kept this fine machine tuned.

  I pulled out of Officer Ryan’s driveway and onto a side street. There were not many cars on this end of the street. “Mr. Randal, please take a right here,” he said as if he has a Sears, Roebuck & Company license.

  “You know every time when we secured land in a hostile area, we made sure there was a main supply route. That route was always well guarded,” he said in order to keep me informed. “Napoleon, Stalin, even here in the blizzard of ’78, we did it. That route is a lifeline. Right now I know the best way to get to downtown Boston.” There were also some very bad people who knew this information.

  At this point I was more receptive to the lieutenant giving me directions. He tried making small talk. He asked how long I had lived in Boston and if I missed Nebraska. At this point his pressed uniform and haircut were gnawing at me. A little four-inch angel appeared on my left ear. She was dressed in a white rob and halo over her head. “You need to be informed,” said the four-inch angel.

  Next a four-inch devil appeared on my right ear. He was dressed in black and held a fiery fork. “You can’t afford to be informed,” hissed the little devil.

  The white robe angel with the halo put her hands on her hips. She had a stern look. Next she drifted up a good six inches. She was over my head and in direct line with the devil. She took out a ray gun that was almost half her height. She vaporized the devil and then drifted down to my left ear.