“Yeah, get this,” Moto laughed, “He’d been wearing a Lacoste shirt…”
As Moto was gesturing with his hands, John snatched the keys away.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
John sped out of the hospital’s parking lot through a large grassy area to avoid the traditional exits which had already been blockaded with concrete dividers.
“I never caught your name, not Hillary’s mom,” Moto said.
“Brooke,” she reluctantly answered.
“I love that name,” Moto said. “For some reason it always reminds me of an old, rustic boys’ camp we’d go to every year when we were little.”
“It might have something to do with that brunette at the girls’ camp being named Brooke.” John muttered.
As Moto reminisced, Brooke turned to talk with Hillary’s father. “And what was your name?”
“It’s Steve, Brooke,” he answered with an extended hand and a smile. “Pleasure to know you.”
The roads had more traffic than John had anticipated, but getting around was still not a problem for the 4X4 truck as the entire police force was occupied. The group had decided to stick together for the time being and agreed that it would probably be smartest to head for the nearest store and load up on food and other equipment they found necessary before settling on a place to hole up. They had considered Steve’s and Brooke’s homes for sanctuary, but both lived in crowded apartment buildings that would not likely withstand a massive, city-wide panic. The group decided to seek out another more secluded shelter and save the apartments as a backup.
John asked, “So, Steve, I have to ask you, why were you upstairs while your daughter was down in the cafeteria? Wow, I’m sorry. That didn’t sound so judgmental in my head.”
“Don’t sweat it, man. I work full time as a security officer for the hospital. Once Hillary’s mother passed away, I took on a side job sitting in with patients to try and cover some of the medical bills.”
“Dang, man, I’m so sorry,” John offered. Moto and Brooke each made a barely audible noise and nodded in agreement.
“The staff all knew me, knew our situation, and offered to keep an eye on Hillary whenever I needed. The cost of a babysitter would’ve almost cancelled out the pay I got for sitting, so I had no choice but to take them up on it. Usually, she can come up to the patient’s room with me, but the lady I sat with today can get kind of violent sometimes. My boss had me leave my sitting duties and get into dress when the first calls were coming out about the violent patients. Anyways, I ran down from the patient’s room to the morgue as soon as the fire alarm went off. Then, I decided to go get her from the cafeteria once I saw how bad it was, but I couldn’t find her anywhere.”
“I had already taken her,” Brooke noted. “I was going to lock us in the bathroom, but that plan didn’t pan out so well.”
“After that, I ran back up to the security office and used the new surveillance room to see about tracking her down. Next thing I know, there’s my baby running around upstairs with a couple of dipshits I’ve never seen in my life,” Steve laughed. “Thank you all again, by the way, for sticking your necks out for her. Truth be told, even if I had found her first, I don’t know that I would’ve been able to get her out of there the way that y’all were.”
Toward the end of his sentence, Steve began fighting back tears. Hillary leaned into him and Steve took his daughter under his bandaged arm. John pulled into a shop’s lot and again parked with a vacant spot on either side. Without any planning or discussion, everyone quickly began filing out of the truck. The dog in the back didn’t bark but leaned over the side rail of the bed, its tail wagging expectantly. The parking lot didn’t seem overly crowded, but there was an uncomfortable vibe from the other customers around the store. Many of the people leaving had purchased bottled water, ammunition, canned goods, and the other usual scare items.
Brooke walked up to the dog and began scratching him behind the ears, causing him to pant uncontrollably.
“You’re not going to leave the dog here by herself, are you?” she asked.
When Brooke turned to face John, the dog began licking her ear affectionately.
“It’s a he,” John noted. “You don’t have to spend too much time with him, before it becomes glaringly obvious. And by the looks of it, he already likes you more than me. You want to hang out and keep him company?”
“So I guess that means there’s no point in me requesting that we name it, Lyla?” Brooke frowned.
“Don’t worry,” Moto said, patting the butt of the pistol that protruded from his belt, “I’ll stay with you and Mongrel.”
“Um, no,” Brooke frowned. “This beautiful dog is not going to be called Mongrel. That sounds like a dog with mange.”
“You two figure that out. We’ll be back in a few,” John said.
John, Steve, and Hillary walked through the front door and saw that people had already begun stocking up their carts with as much as they could hold. John was relieved to see that the shelves were still, for the time being, mostly stocked.
“What do you think? Split up?” Steve asked.
“I like the way you think,” John said, handing his cart to Steve and pulling out another for himself. “Let’s do some damage.”
John leaned in close enough to whisper. “Don’t be frugal; there’s a decent chance we’re not gonna have to pay off our cards.”
“Nice,” Steve said, as he leaned back with a big smile across his face, and tapped a finger against his temple. “I like the way you think too, sir.”
John reached back to his days of hiking at the summer camp to try and remember the essentials. If worse came to worse, he knew it would pay off to have one bag of the absolute necessities that was still light enough for carrying by foot. Number one on the list of necessities was always potable water. He had started off using a water filter that used a hand pump, but that took only a few weeks for the filter to become clogged. Later, he had upgraded to iodine tablets that made the water taste terrible. He had later perfected the measurements with Crystal Light packets to concoct his famous iodine wine and conceal the horrible aftertaste. The only problem with this method was just how many of the tablets and additives a person would have to carry for even a small group of people, and for what could turn into weeks or even months on the move.
The latest rage was an LED pen light that used UV light to kill off the single celled organisms. A friend had actually informed him that they didn’t kill the original organisms in the water, but altered their DNA to prevent them from reproducing. He had never checked to see if that claim was valid, but from what he’d heard, the method was effective. For him, though, the price tag and necessity of carrying along all the extra weight of spare batteries didn’t make it a viable option.
For John, the obvious choice was bleach. An old hiking buddy had taught him to put a few drops into a liter or so of water, and it would be good to go after about half an hour. He was initially nervous at the prospect of drinking bleach water, but he’d used the method for years without incident. He’d also learned to throw in some hydrogen peroxide to keep people from bellyaching about the taste of the bleach. Adding the peroxide after the bleach had time to treat the water would cause a chemical reaction leaving nothing toxic. It was an incredible method, and John was shocked by how few people knew about it.
It only took a few drops for each treatment of water, but John invested in several quarts of the potential life saver. Knowing that he too would’ve complained about bleach water as a child, he decided to also invest in hydrogen peroxide and several boxes of pink lemonade packets. He also snagged a few large containers of Tony Chachere's creole seasoning, and some smaller, more portable shakers. It was possibly his most multi-purpose purchase. Over the years, John had found that Tony made good on its claim of being good on everything.
John felt that most people now latched onto and complained about anything they didn’t understand or that they found inconvenient. Even he himself, t
hough he fought to focus on the positives, would catch himself griping about Congress or a number of other annoyances over which he had no control. He acknowledged that he couldn’t prevent every discomfort, but he’d do what he could to at least cushion the blow that was sure to fall upon all of these inside pets if they were to be thrust into the great outdoors.
As he was loading up on some of the more common items, he realized that it may not even take a day for things like antibiotics or inhalers to be completely off the shelves, maybe forever. He met up with Steve near the front of the store. Steve had loaded up on a random assortment of goods. John observed at a glance that many of the items in Steve’s cart would have been far down on his own list, but they would still be handy to have around in any case.
“Hey, man,” John said as he pulled his cart up next to Steve’s, “I say we head for the pharmacy after this and get what we can, while we can. After that maybe the Army Navy store to get some sleeping gear and packs… just in case.”
Steve nodded and glanced down at his wound. “Man, I like where your head’s at. Plan for the worst, and hope for the best. Were you a scout?”
“For a brief while, actually, but not like you’re thinking, no,” John laughed. “I actually know what I’m doing.”
John considered asking Steve how he had received the wound on his arm, but decided to save the conversation for a more appropriate time and setting. Steve steered into the shortest line, but John elected to go down to the longer tobacco line.
“I didn’t realize you were a smoker,” Steve said. “I smoked most of my life, until this rug rat came along. I never would’ve pegged you for one.”
“Well, I’m not really. I figure it’s a good idea to load up on the addictive stuff before everyone resorts to bartering. I’d guess if things really turn south, it won’t be long at all before these things become worth more than their weight in gold.”
“I’m starting to think we really lucked out in ending up with you, John Chow. Always three steps ahead. I bet you’re a hell of a chess player.”
The two unloaded all of their items as Hillary entertained herself with the cart’s old, frayed seatbelt that John was sure must be contaminated with salmonella and who knew what else. He watched, and considered that it might be quite a burden to have such a young girl tagging along, especially considering her father’s significant injury.
The men paid on credit, as planned, and returned to the truck to find that Brooke hadn’t given up on her proposed name.
“Lyla, stop,” she laughed. “No one is going to want to pet you if you can’t learn to let them without you licking them!”
“Seriously, Lucky, calm down,” Moto added.
“No names,” John said stoically as he pulled the cart up next to the truck. “I don’t want y’all gettin’ too attached.”
“Whoa, you’re the one who saved it, man! Are we just supposed to never talk to or about the thing?” Moto asked.
John knew that Moto was right, but, considering their current circumstances, he couldn’t ignore the eventual heartache that would surely come if he allowed himself to care about the helpless animal. At least the mutt would be good for morale. And maybe with some training, the brindle could eventually pull its own weight around camp.
John conceded as he loaded the last of his bags into the truck. “Fine, but nothing too cutesy. Bob or Paul would work just fine. We’re gonna head for a pharmacy and stock up on whatever antibiotics and stuff we can get our hands on. Maybe after that we’ll go for ammunition and an ABC if we can find one.”
Steve looked up with a grin as he unloaded his groceries into the truck’s toolbox. “Now that wouldn’t have to all be saved as currency, would it?”
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
The growing crowds of people were becoming increasingly panicked, and the traffic reflected as much. It quickly became commonplace to bypass a wreck and for all of the witnesses to continue on with an unnatural indifference. Just before making it to the pharmacy they were forced to dodge a young man in an SUV that had spun his tires and pushed an old woman’s Cadillac far enough into the intersection that he could run the light. With all of the cops occupied, more and more drivers didn’t feel that waiting for stagnant street lights was the best possible use of their time. As people saw others doing it without repercussion, more and more drivers began to completely ignore all of the traffic laws without a second thought.
Unfortunately, many of the copycats were not as cautious or experienced in driving outside of their usual practices, and for several people their instincts eventually failed them. In a shockingly short amount of time, many roads were becoming almost impassable for the average car. For the time being, the large truck was still able to jump curbs and cut through grassy medians in order to navigate around the ever expanding clusters of abandoned cars. They knew though, that it was only a matter of time before others would also become stuck in the perimeters surrounding the traffic jams, making some areas completely impassable. For the group to be able to gather all of the materials they’d hoped to, it would have to happen quickly, and they all agreed that their best option would be to briefly split up. In a rushed discussion, they agreed to separate into two groups with John and Moto being dropped at the pharmacy as the rest of the group took the truck to buy alcohol and the other items that had not been purchased at their last stop.
John was uncomfortable with postponing the purchase of guns and ammunition until last, but spotting a pharmacy across the street from an ABC was something he couldn’t pass up. John and Moto watched from the pharmacy’s parking lot to ensure that the truck arrived safely at the liquor store, and rushed inside to begin their frantic search up and down the store’s aisles. Moto was noisily knocking anything that could possibly be of use into his basket, as the credit card balance was looking more and more like it would be of no consequence. Moto even collected a few maxi pads feeling that besides the obvious use, they could also come in handy in the event of certain injuries. Peroxide was added again, with a different use intended, as well as p.m. cough syrup, earplugs, and a number of other comfort items.
John thought to himself that everything was out of order, buying sleep aids before sleeping bags to keep warm, and liquor before ammunition. Given more time to plan, he would have done things differently. He wasn’t even sure where the group was going to spend this night, much less what their ultimate destination should be for riding out the plague. He was certain that the more obvious spots were going to be overrun and overpopulated, likely becoming some of the worst possible places to go.
“Moto?” John asked, “have you put any thought into where we should go?”
“A little, but I just don’t know this area anymore. I guess maybe go up to the top floor of a tall building?” Moto suggested as he eyed some energy drinks.
“What happens when somebody panics on the first floor, and lights the thing up with a Molotov?” John asked as he added a large box of matches to his basket.
“I don’t know man, then don’t ask me. We’ll figure something out.”
“I’m gonna go see about some antibiotics,” John said. “You and Steve could both use them, just in case.”
He made his way to the counter to inquire about what items could now be purchased without a prescription and got in the only opened line behind a man with an empty cart. John overheard that the man was having a similar conversation with the attendant. The old, fragile woman could tell that the man was lying about the reason for the ridiculous quantities he’d requested, and the exchange quickly escalated into shouting. From what John could gather, the man was trying to get his hands on asthma inhalers, antibiotics, insulin, and a number of other items that would prove to be extremely valuable in the near future. John, as a survivalist, had the same thought previously, but seeing the opportunity and pillaging were two very different things in his mind. The man was becoming exceedingly threatening toward the previously sweet old woman behind the counter. John couldn’t stop himself
from intervening when the man put a foot up on the counter and began to climb over toward the terrified clerk.
John grabbed the instigator from behind with one hand on the back of his collar, and pressed his opposite forearm against the man’s calves, leaving him no chance to regain his balance, and allowing John to effortlessly sling the man down to the ground. The man sprawled with a wincing groan, and writhed in pain.
“Are you okay?” John asked the old woman.
After she nodded, John turned his attention back to the man on the floor just as the man tugged a pistol loose from the back of his pants. John instinctively reached for his own gun but remembered that he’d left the pistol in the truck with Steve and the girls. Instead, John was forced to hold up his hands in apology and surrender.
“You! Come over here and join us,” the man motioned toward Moto with his gun. “Sit on the ground facing the wall with your hands behind your head.”
They followed the man’s instructions as he began to stock his cart full of everything that was kept behind the counter.
“This is the new world,” John thought to himself.
The thought sickened him. This man and countless others like him who were probably once normal citizens would now be using the kindness and weaknesses of others to their advantage until no kindness or weakness could remain.
“No one try and be a hero!” the man commanded on his way out the door, dropping merchandise from his overloaded buggy along the way.
“Do I call the cops?” the woman asked, visibly shaken.
Gunfire erupted just outside the door and the old woman ducked her head under her arms, staying tucked down in her position against the wall.
“I’m afraid they probably won’t be able to come,” John answered. “Things are starting to get pretty crazy out there. In fact, it might not be the worst idea for you to just lock up the store and go home. You probably don’t want to be around for whoever else comes by. People are gonna be desperate.”
And the Blood Ran Black Page 11