The Last Orchard (Prequel): Surviving the Collapse

by Hunt, James

  The mother slid off of him, and Charlie smirked, hoping that the heat flushing his cheeks wasn’t too obvious, then looked at Mel and Liz.

  “My hotel was in the center of downtown, and home for me is back in Chicago, so…” Mel shrugged. “Guess I’m with you, cowboy.”

  Charlie turned to Liz, whose attention was on the hospital. He walked over to her. “What about you?”

  Liz paused, taking a moment, but eventually nodded. “Yeah. Okay. Getting out of the city sounds like the best option.”

  Charlie nodded then led the group away from the hospital. “We better get going. It’s a full day’s walk on foot.”

  “Great.” Mel exhaled, shaking his head. “Because I haven’t done enough of that today.”

  5

  Seattle’s skyline grew smaller behind them, and the landscape transformed from skyscrapers and tall office buildings to family homes in local neighborhoods.

  But the blackout that plagued the streets of downtown Seattle had spread to the suburbs. Charlie watched as neighbors convened with one another, everyone unable to answer the question that raced through their minds.

  How did this happen?

  Their group caught a few stares from the locals as they passed, but the area was far less violent and dangerous than the city’s epicenter, at least for the moment.

  Mel checked another car parked in the middle of the street. “Dammit.” He slammed the door shut and stomped his feet, his arms like noodles at his sides. “How can none of them work?” He rolled his head around on his neck then fell back in line next to Sarah and Adelyn, the mother and daughter, both of whom hadn’t done a tenth of the complaining that Mel had.

  “How much farther?” Mel asked.

  “I told you it was a hike,” Charlie answered.

  “You’d think that we were dragging him along by force.” Liz kept her voice low and walked on Charlie’s left. She’d kept pace with him since the hospital.

  “Didn’t strike me as the outdoorsman type when I found him.” Charlie smirked, and Liz mirrored the expression.

  “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for this,” Liz said, keeping her eyes on the ground. “So thank you.” She looked up at him. “I don’t know many people that would take a bunch of strangers to their home. Especially not under these circumstances.”

  “Couldn’t just leave you guys with nowhere to go,” Charlie said matter-of-factly.

  Liz laughed. “Yes. You could have.”

  Charlie watched the dimples appear on both sides of Liz’s cheeks. He liked her smile. “Are you from around here?”

  “No,” Liz answered. “I moved here from San Diego three months ago. Seattle General had an opening for a management position for nurses, and I threw my hat in the ring.”

  “So you got it?” Charlie asked.

  “No, but they liked me enough to offer me more money than my old job, so I packed up and moved.” Liz shrugged and twisted her fingers, which Charlie noticed were devoid of any rings. “There wasn’t anything keeping me in the city besides the job.”

  “I visited San Diego once. It was nice. Did you grow up there?”

  “No. I was an army brat, so we moved around a lot. I’ve lived in Germany, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, California, and Hawaii.”

  “I’ve never left the west coast.”

  “It must have been nice to grow up in one place,” Liz said, a glint of nostalgia in her voice. “I always wondered what it would have been like to set roots down.”

  “I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.” Charlie shut his eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on his back. “It’s nothing but greenery that stretches to the horizon.”

  “It’ll be nice to get out of the city.” Liz inhaled as though she hadn’t breathed in days and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. “I could use a change of scenery.”

  Mel appeared between them, huffing labored breaths. “So, what do you guys think is happening? I mean, it must be terrorists, right? Probably Muslims or something?”

  “And you could tell that from the masks over their faces?” Liz asked.

  “Yeah, maybe I could.” Mel rolled his eyes. “It’s no secret who hates this country.”

  “Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Charlie said.

  Sarah positioned herself on Charlie’s right. Adelyn was asleep on her shoulder. “Do you think that those gunmen had anything to do with the power going off?”

  “And how the hell did they manage to turn my phone off?” Mel fished out his mobile and pressed the button repeatedly. “Some kind of internet virus or something?”

  “When do you think everything will turn back on?” Sarah asked. “And why haven’t we seen the military or—”

  Charlie stopped, holding both hands in the air. “I have just as many questions as you do, but right now, what’s important is staying mobile and staying alive. We’ll have plenty of time to figure this out later, but right now, let’s just keep our heads cool and focus on what’s in front of us. Getting out of harm’s way. Okay?”

  Sarah nodded quickly. “Yeah.”

  Mel grumbled, shoving his phone back into his pocket. “Whatever.”

  Charlie started walking again, and silence fell over the group. He knew they were just scared. And the more fear you pumped into somebody’s heart, the wilder they were going to become. It was simple survival instincts, and whenever people started harvesting those primal thoughts, shit was bound to hit the fan.

  The sun sank lower in the sky, and conversation died down.

  When they made it out of the second neighborhood, Charlie decided it was a good time to stop and check the pulse of the group. And to make sure that Mel didn’t pass out from exertion.

  “How’s everyone doing?” Charlie asked.

  “I can’t… move.” Mel collapsed onto the hood of a parked BMW, and his shirt pulled up and exposing his white, hairy belly.

  “I’m thirsty, Mommy,” Adelyn said.

  Sarah pushed the sweaty bangs off her daughter’s forehead and softly shushed her. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We’ll be done soon.”

  Charlie glanced around and spotted a convenience store down the road. “Does anyone have any cash?”

  “I do,” Mel answered, only lifting one arm from the Beemer’s hood.

  “Left my purse back at the hospital,” Liz said.

  Charlie gathered the cash, and with his own money, they had close to one hundred bucks. “I’ll get us some water and snacks. Any special requests?”

  “Fritos,” Mel said. “And a Mountain Dew, and a Starbucks double-shot espresso!”

  With the orders filled, Charlie headed over to the convenience store while the group parked under the shade of a nearby tree.

  Charlie approached the convenience store warily. The bars along the windows of the building were a sign of the neighborhood. The parking lot was empty, but the door was propped open.

  Charlie paused at the entrance, peering inside. “Hello?”

  No answer.

  Hesitant, Charlie crossed the dark threshold.

  The inside of the store was just as empty as the parking lot, and minimal sunlight shone through the tinted windows, exposing the looted aisles. Charlie stared at the cash in his hand, feeling foolish for even bringing it.

  “Right.” He stuffed the money back into his pocket and picked up a basket by the door.

  Charlie headed for the coolers first. Although the power was out, the drinks inside were still cool. He piled as many bottles of water as he could into one basket then perused the snack aisle, where he loaded up on jerky, nuts, and the limited fruit selection, which consisted mainly of bananas.

  With the basket overflowing, Charlie was about to head back toward the front to grab another when he heard a voice.

  “Please.” It was a frightened whisper, breathless.

  “Quiet!”

  The order was followed by a harsh slap, and Charlie set the basket down. He crept along the aisle, searching for anything heavy that he cou
ld use as a weapon, but the snacks and household items didn’t provide many options.

  A bottle of bleach caught his eye, and he removed it from the shelf, unscrewing the top as he inched closer toward the whimpering moans.

  “I already told you there’s no money in the—”

  Another slap, this one harder than the first. The whimpers worsened.

  The noises led Charlie toward the back corner of the store. He paused at the end of the aisle, his shoulder against the wall. He turned slowly and saw an elderly woman by a safe, blood on her lip.

  “Open it!” The gunman pointed a revolver at the old woman, anger and greed in his eyes, and the old woman started to turn the dial on the safe. Then Charlie made his move.

  He flung the bleach into the man’s face, charging at him in the same motion. But the chemicals hit the gunman’s eyes before he could aim the pistol at Charlie, who tackled him to the floor.

  Both men tumbled over one another, Charlie landing on top and pinning the robber down.

  “Jesus fucking Christ, it burns!” The robber clawed at his eyes but kept them shut, his skin reddening from irritation.

  Charlie flipped him over on his stomach and clamped his hands together. “Don’t move!” He quickly searched the floor for the gun but found it in the weathered hands of the old woman, who had it aimed at the thug who had tried to rob her.

  “Easy,” Charlie said. “Lord knows he deserves it, but you don’t want something like this on your conscience.”

  The old woman grimaced. “He needs a lesson in manners.” She adjusted her trembling grip on the pistol.

  “You’re right.” Charlie stood, arms still outstretched as he moved closer to the woman and the gun. “But right now, what we need to do is make sure that you don’t do anything…” Charlie placed his hand on the gun, and the woman looked at him. “You’ll regret.”

  With both of Charlie’s hands on the pistol, the old woman finally let go, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I can’t see!” The robber squirmed on the floor, crying and thrashing. “I can’t fucking see!”

  Charlie grabbed the kid by the scruff of his neck and picked him up off the floor. “You’re lucky to be breathing. Now move!” He shoved the guy forward, gun in hand, and marched him out the front.

  Charlie wasn’t sure what he’d do, but he knew that he couldn’t kill him.

  Outside, Charlie shoved the guy down the street, and he stumbled blindly, still clawing at his eyes.

  “What the fuck am I supposed to do now?” he shouted, spinning around, unable to find Charlie.

  “You run and be thankful that you still have your life.” But when the man didn’t move, Charlie raised the pistol and fired a shot into the air. The man sprinted off, tripping over himself, and Charlie watched him until he disappeared down an alleyway.

  Charlie stared down at the gun then flipped the safety on before tucking the weapon into his belt. He spun around and found the old woman staring in the direction that the robber had fled. “Are you all right?”

  The old woman nodded then wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. The name tag on her vest read Arlene. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Charlie turned back to his group of people, all of them staring at him in confusion over what they’d just witnessed. He turned back to Arlene. “Think you’d like to join us?”

  “Sure.”

  Arlene followed Charlie to the group, and introductions were made, but while they talked, Charlie glanced back down the road, and he wondered if he had made the right decision.

  6

  Like the rest of them, Arlene was now an orphan of the city. She had a small condo in a high rise on the outskirts, but after hearing the horror stories they’d told of what they’d encountered, she decided to join them on their journey toward the orchard.

  And while the group kept most of their attention ahead of them, Charlie couldn’t keep his eyes in one direction for very long.

  “Hey.” Liz appeared at Charlie’s side, tapping his elbow with her nearly empty water bottle. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Everything all right?”

  Charlie nodded, but his eyes glanced toward Arlene, who was helping Sarah with Adelyn.

  Liz noticed his glance. “She was lucky that you were there.”

  “That’s what bothers me,” Charlie said.

  “Why are you beating yourself up about it?” Liz asked. “She’s safe now.”

  “Is she? Are any of us?” Charlie clenched his jaw before releasing the tension. “Is this what happens to people? Something goes wrong, and we lose our sense of decency?”

  Liz turned and looked back at Arlene and hugged herself, rubbing her arms. “Fear makes people do crazy stuff.”

  “No,” Charlie said, shaking his head. “What I saw in that man’s eyes wasn’t fear. It was lack of consequences. He didn’t think he’d get caught.”

  The pistol was still in Charlie’s waistband, and he became more aware of its presence.

  “I should have let her shoot him.”

  “Hey.” Liz stepped in front of Charlie, stopping him and blocking his path. “Stopping someone from killing isn’t a bad thing.”

  Charlie shook his head. “I’m not sure about that anymore.” He stepped around Liz and wondered how long they could stay alive in a world with no rules or laws.

  Liz caught up to him. “You don’t get to decide who lives and who dies, Charlie. You’re not some judge, jury, and executioner.”

  The words caught Charlie off guard, and he remained frozen in place as Liz walked on, joining the others up ahead.

  Charlie watched them walk a while then lowered his gaze to the outline of the pistol beneath his shirt.

  “Hey! Farm boy!”

  Charlie looked ahead and found Mel waving his arms at a crossroads up ahead.

  “Where to now?”

  The road had reached a dead end, forcing the group either left or right. He looked left at the steep incline of the mountain terrain then to the left, where the road took them through a neighborhood.

  “Don’t tell me we’re lost,” Mel said. “Jesus Christ.” He spun around in a circle then shook his head. “The one time I come to Seattle, and it decides to implode on itself.”

  “Charlie?” Liz asked.

  Charlie kept his voice down. “Left is quicker, but the terrain’s more difficult.”

  Mel scoffed and walked away, flinging his empty water bottle into the woods. “Great. It’s either longer or harder.”

  “We need to get to the farm before nightfall,” Charlie said. “Left will get us there quicker.”

  “That gets my vote,” Arlene said.

  “Whatever you think is best, Charlie,” Sarah said.

  “I don’t care,” Mel replied.

  The group looked to Charlie to make the final decision, and he nodded. “Left it is, then.”

  With the sun fading behind them, the bottles of water were passed around, and their stash disappeared. Knowing that they were losing daylight, Charlie hastened his pace, but not everyone was able to keep up.

  Liz jogged up to him. “Hey, Mel and Arlene need a break.”

  “We need to make up time. We can’t stop every time someone needs a breather.” Charlie kept his tone short and didn’t relinquish the pace he’d set.

  “I understand that, but we’ve been walking all day, and not everyone can keep up,” Liz said, stiffening her tone.

  “Well, then they can find another place to stay.”

  “Hey!” Liz grabbed Charlie’s arm and whipped him around, forcing him to stop. “You were the one who asked them to come along. You were the one who told them that they had a safe place to stay.”

  “Yeah, well, I didn’t realize I’d be the only one doing the heavy lifting.” Charlie flung Liz’s arm off of him and restarted his trek, but she wouldn’t let him go.

  She blocked his path. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “Open your eyes, Liz!” Charlie yelled, an
d she backed up. “You really think all of this is going to get fixed in a couple of days?”

  Liz continued her retreat, and the rest of the group caught up.

  Charlie laughed, his resolve cracking under the weight of everyone that had piled onto his back. “What the hell do you think is going to happen a day from now? Or a week? We’ve been walking all day, and you know what I haven’t seen aside from robbing and looting and attempted murder? Cops. Military. First responders of any kind. And you want to know why?”

  “Charlie, stop it.”

  “Because they’re taking care of their own families and friends!” Charlie shouted, his volume quieting everyone in the group, even Mel. “Which is what I should be doing, but no, I had to play the goddamn hero!”

  “That’s enough.” Arlene stepped forward. “You will not talk about us that way, young man. You offered to help, and if we have been a burden, then we will relieve you of that burden.”

  “Arlene, wait.” Liz rushed after her.

  Charlie was unable to hear their hushed conversation.

  “You really know how to inspire the crew, Captain,” Mel said, still catching his breath, his hands on his hips, then plucked the sweaty collar off of his chest.

  “Not now, Mel.”

  Mel leaned forward, his stance aggressive. “You think you’re better than us, farm boy? Well, you can take that little country accent all the way to your inbred family!”

  It happened quickly, the rage rushing over Charlie and blinding him to his actions. It wasn’t until he heard Liz’s screaming that he realized he was on top of Mel the big man’s face was disfigured.

  Charlie looked at his raised fist, which had matching blood dripping from its knuckles. He stared at it for a moment then stood and backed away from Mel as Sarah and Arlene walked over to check on him.

  “I’m sorry. I—”

  Liz shoved him hard. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Charlie looked at his trembling, clenched hands and then at Mel. He shook his head, his mind spinning and his heart pounding. “I-I don’t know.”

  “Fuck you, man!” Mel stumbled to his feet and shrugged off Sarah and Arlene’s help. “I don’t need this shit!”