Tobias looked around the room the face of each person. They were looking at him with such hope and concern in their tired eyes. Tobias wondered if there was any truth to what Paul had said. It sounded like the lunatic ravings of something he would have heard from Brian’s mom. But what if he was special? What if he was unique? “Okay,” Tobias said, “I’ll stay here for the night.” The group smiled, and Evelyn tucked him in. They brought food and water to his bed, and Evelyn even patted his head after saying goodnight. Tobias lied in bed staring at the low concrete ceiling. In the center of the room the adults had gathered at a small table with a lantern in the middle. They were talking softly, drawing plans, and playing cards. Tobias’s eyes grew heavy and soon closed. That night he dreamed he was back home in his mother’s arms. She gave him a bowl of ice cream after they hugged. It was his favorite, Rocky Road.
Chapter 8: The End of the Road
Alice drove all night while Brian and Kiya slept in the backseat. Once she knew they were in deep slumber, she sobbed quietly thinking of Randall. She made a couple of stops along road to refuel. The back window was shattered, and the wind from the night air made the car uncomfortably cold. She covered Brian and Kiya in thick sweaters, plus a blanket she had stored with the rest of the clothes. She hadn’t gotten any sleep for about a day. Her mind was set on getting out of Pennsylvania, to venture somewhere safe. The day’s events played over and over again in her head:
Her bike ride through town to Brian’s school.
Climbing the fence with Brian.
Finding the Plymouth Valiant.
The parent being shot outside Kiya’s school.
Driving her car through the flash mob.
Their house, broken in and ransacked.
And finally, Randall’s lifeless body on the kitchen floor.
These thoughts repeated themselves endlessly. It was all she could think about. She could make little room to think of anything else. Her instincts told her that they needed to find a rural community, somewhere with a small population. She was unarmed and vulnerable. That much was clear. But as she made her way past the state line of West Virginia, she saw no sign of anything different. Abandoned cars were everywhere. The problem wasn’t just in Pittsburgh. She had to keep her eyes open and alert to stranded people who would often jump out in front of her path. This was a reoccurring incident, of which she soon tired from. At least the children were sleeping, so they wouldn’t question why she wasn’t helping anyone.
When Brian woke, it was daylight. His eyes squinted open. He felt a distinct pain in his head. It could have been a simple headache due to exhaustion and dehydration, or some reminisce of the fight he had the other day. He pushed the thick blanket off him and looked up to see his mother driving at the wheel guiding their car down the long two-lane state road. A cool breeze filled the car from the shattered window in the back. Brian’s throat and mouth was dry.
“Mom, I’m thirsty,” he said.
“Well, good morning,” she responded, looking at in the rear view mirror.
“How do you feel?” she asked.
“Thirsty, like I said.”
“We’ll stop somewhere soon. How’s Kiya?”
Brian looked to his side. Kiya rested against the window still sleeping under layers of clothes.
“She’s still sleeping,” he answered.
“Just let her rest then,” Alice said.
Brian rubbed his eyes and looked around. There were no other cars on the road, and all he could see was forest and trees. “Where are we?” he asked.
“We’re in West Virginia,” Alice said.
“So did you figure out where we’re going yet?” Brian asked.
“Yes, I did as a matter of fact. We’re going to your grandparent’s house in Tennessee.”
“Grandma and Grandpa? I haven’t seen them in years.”
“Since you were four,” Alice said.
“Why are we going there?” Brian asked.
“Because we’ll be safe there.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I’m sure as I’ll ever be.”
Brian always asked a lot of questions. But the last thing she wanted her children to lose was hope. Even though Alice assumed the worst, she didn’t want them to do the same. There could still be a future for them. “We can beat this,” she told herself. Brian shifted around in his seat some, bored by the monotonous scenery. He looked at his mother’s face in the rear view mirror. She looked worn and beaten down. Her eyes had heavy bags under them and her face was puffy as if she’d been crying all night. “Mom, what happened to Randy?” Brian asked.
Alice seized up. She hadn’t prepared for the question. She still hadn’t figured out what to tell them yet. “Why wasn’t he at the house?” Brian continued. Alice looked at him again through the rear view mirror. He was staring at her in the mirror, waiting.
“Randall…he left,” she said.
“He left?” Brian asked. “What do you mean, he left?”
She wasn’t ready to tell them. She didn’t think that she’d ever be ready to tell them.
“I mean that he disappeared. Our house was broken into and he was nowhere to be found.”
Brian thought to himself for a moment. “So, is he dead?” he asked.
Alice’s eyes filled with tears that she tried to fight. They began to stream down our cheeks.
“Yes, Brian, he’s gone,” she said.
“How do you know?” he asked.
“Because I know,” she said.
After that, Brian didn’t ask any more questions. He looked back out the window and just stared, a quiet contemplative stare. “Don’t say anything to your sister yet, understand?” Alice said.
Brian didn’t answer, but Alice took it as a “yes.”
Alice noticed a sign up ahead that said: “Gas and Lodging Two Miles.” This would have to be their stop. But wasn’t like she could just pull into the place, grab some Coke, fill up her tank and leave. Things were different now. She would no doubt have to hide the car and walk to the store, while not attracting too much attention. “Brian, I’m going to stop at this store coming up. But I’m going to have to park away from it and check it out. I want you to stay in the car with Kiya,” she said.
“I’m sick of being in this car,” Brian said.
“Just please do what I say,” she continued.
“I’m sick of you bossing me around. Do this, Brian. Listen to me, Brian. Shut up, Brian. Enough is enough!” Brian said with his voice raised.
Kiya’s eyes flickered open to the commotion. Alice found a spot on the side of the road and pulled over. She put the car in park and shut off the engine. “Where are we?” Kiya asked while yawning.
Alice rested her arm on the front seat and turned around. “Hello, sleepy-head,” she said. “I’m going to go to the store and get us some food and drinks. I want you to stay here with Brian and wait until I come back.”
“We’re in West Virginia,” Brian said, answering her question.
“Where are we going?” Kiya asked.
“We’re going to grandma and grandpa’s house. I don’t think you’ve even met them,” Brian said.
Alice opened the car door. “You two behave, I’ll be back shortly,” she said as she exited the car.
“Wait!” Kiya said. Alice leaned back into the car.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Can you get me an apple juice?” Kiya asked.
“I’ll certainly try,” Alice said. She closed the door and was off.
“Only babies drink apple juice,” Brian said.
“Shut up, Brian,” Kiya said back.
Alice walked carefully up the road towards the store. She didn’t see any cars or people around. Such a sight brought instant relief. Things were quiet, and Alice’s instincts told her that she was walking into a possible ambush. But was such thing possible out here in the middle of nowhere? At this point, she wouldn’t put anything past it, but she marched on, determined
to get some food and drinks for the remainder of their trip. She had plenty of cash in her pocket. She always carried cash. And she would try to barter whatever she could get. As she neared the store, she was surprised to find that it looked closed. None of this was apparent though. There was no sign on the door, but there also wasn’t a single person around. Not a car and certainly not a store clerk. The building was a single unit, with a dilapidated tin roof. There were two gas pumps seated within the parking lot. Two windows outside the store had bars on them, along with the glass door. Once she got closer, a sickness came over her similar to when she approached her own house the night before. The store had been broken into. Shards of glass rested on the ground by the door. And she noticed it was slightly opened. “I should have grabbed a knife from the house, a bat, anything,” she thought.
She peered inside the store. There were no sounds or movement from anyone inside. She slowly pushed the door opened. The inside lights had been shut off, or there was no power to operate them. She slipped inside and examined her surroundings. To her side was the check-out counter. Across from her were several small aisles that looked disorganized and barren. She looked again at check-out counter. The cash register had been overturned. Another glance towards the aisle showed that they had been ransacked and emptied. People had already gone through the store and taken most of everything that was in it. She made her way across broken glass and smashed trinkets to the drink area in the back. They were nearly empty, except for a few drinks, most likely forgotten by the looters. With no electricity, the drinks obviously weren’t being kept cool, but Alice could easily look past the inconvenience. There was one bottle of grape juice, one bottle of orange soda, and two bottles of water. It seemed this was the best offer she was going to get. She grabbed the drinks and searched the aisles for food. Some cans of sardines and bag of pretzels were all she could find. “Oh boy, they’re really going to love this,” she said to herself.
A noise outside startled her. It could have been anything, but it was enough to remind her that she needed to get back to the car. She cradled the goods from the store and slipped back outside the door. No one was out there waiting for her, like she had feared. She continued her stroll back to the car, hoping that Brian and Kiya were safe. She truly hated leaving them, but found it necessary in circumstances like this. She looked down both sides of the road, and didn’t see anyone. It was strange, but oddly comforting at the same time. Back at the car, Brian was standing outside, leaning against the hood. “Brian, what are you doing?” she asked, clutching the food and drinks in her arms. Brian looked at her with truly perplexed. “You didn’t really expect me to sit in that hot car the whole time did you?” he asked.
“Where’s your sister?” Alice asked.
“She’s in the woods,” he said.
“What?” Alice gasped.
Suddenly, Kiya emerged from the tree line and walked towards the car. “Sheesh, mom. I had to pee, do you really have to make it public?” she asked.
“Just get in the car, both of you now, please,” Alice said.
Everyone got back in the car; Alice said her usual prayer and started the ignition. This time Brian got in the front seat. There was a slight argument between him and Kiya, but Alice put it to an end. They were soon on the road again. Alice felt better having an actual destination to go to. However, truth be told, she didn’t know how her parents would react to her arrival, or if they would even be at the house. The thought of walking into their farm house, finding it destroyed and them dead on the ground was a terrifying thought. But it crossed her mind, nonetheless. It was a possibility, but she had to remain hopeful; if not for herself, her children.
“What did you get us?” Brian asked.
“Okay, who wants the grape juice?” Alice asked, holding it up.
“I do!” Kiya called out.
“Ewww, gross,” Brian said. “What else did you get?”
“Well you can have the orange drink or you can have water,” Alice replied.
Brian scoffed. “They didn’t have any apple juice?” Kiya asked.
“Nope. That’s all they had,” Alice said.
“Fine, I’ll take the water,” Brian said.
Alice handed him the water, and Brian gulped it down. Kiya sucked down the grape drink as well. Alice handed Brian the pretzels.
“Here share these with Kiya,” she said.
Brian took the pretzels, opened them and feasted.
“Hey, she said to share them!” Kiya shouted.
Alice squinted. Miles ahead there was a large object blocking the road. It was troubling, to say the least. As Brian and Kiya argued over the pretzels, all Alice could think about was the object ahead of them.
“Brian,” she said, pulling on his sleeve, “do you see that? What is it?”
Brian leaned forward and looked. “Um, it looks like a log or something,” he said.
“Is it a tree?” Alice asked. She couldn’t tell for sure.
“I don’t know, it sort of looks like a tree,” Brian said.
It was a large, dead tree that had fallen into their path. It completely blocked the road as it covered both lanes, stretching into the woods on the other side from which it fell. Alice slowed the car as they got closer.
“Looks like it feel over,” Brian said.
“I don’t like this,” Alice said.
“Well, you’re going to have to stop, mom. We can’t drive through it,” Brian said.
Alice stopped the car five feet from the tree. As the car idled, she looked to both sides to try to figure out a way around the road obstruction. The top of the tree looked rotted enough to push out of the way. The top had slightly broken off, and it was skinny and hollow. But she didn’t want to risk damaging the car or its tires by driving over the branch. She figured they could push the rotted part of the tree out of their way drive around it. She put the car in park and left it running.
“This is what we’re going to do,” she said turning to Brian. “You and I are going to push that top part of the tree out of the way. That will clear a path for us to drive through.”
“Okay,” Brian said, without any objection.
“Kiya, you just wait here,” Alice said.
“Got it,” Kiya said.
Alice and Brian exited the car and walked over end of the tree. It stuck out and rested about three feet off the ground. Alice could see cracks all over the tree that indicated wood rot. Whatever they had to do, she felt, they had to do it fast. “Let’s give this a shot,” she said to Brian.
“Hold it right there,” a voice shouted from the woods.
Alice and Brian both froze in their tracks. They couldn’t fully tell where the voice had come from. But whoever it was, they were carefully concealed. “Put your hands in the air,” the voice commanded.
“Mom?” Brian said.
“Just do what he says,” Alice said, raising her arms in the air. Brian soon followed.
“Good. Now don’t move,” the voice said. They heard rustling from the nearby woods and out came a man holding a rifle, aiming it at them. It was Jeremy Rafelson. He had been waiting all day for a car to come through and was relieved to see that his plan had finally worked. Having walked endlessly along the state-road, Jeremy decided on the spot once he noticed the dead tree tilted over. With a few heavy pushes, he was able to tip it completely over and into the street. It was set-up, and what Alice feared most in her travels—an ambush.
“Listen to the man and everything will be okay, son,” Alice said.
“What do you want?” Brian asked. His brazenness outraged Jeremy.
“I want you to shut the hell up, for starters,” Jeremy said running towards them with his rifle aimed squarely at their faces.
“Please don’t hurt him, he’s only a child,” Alice cried.
Jeremy stopped and backed off, but for a moment. He laughed to himself and walked in a circle around them. “That’s like the third time I’ve heard that today. Well, not the son part, but the
please don’t hurt him. Or please don’t hurt me. Everyone is so polite nowadays. You wouldn’t even think that society was going to hell in a handbasket.”
“Just take what you want and leave us alone,” Alice said.
Jeremy held up his rifle and scratched his chin. “Yeah, I think I’ll do that. I’ll start by taking that nice automobile you have running there, and I’ll take whatever supplies you have as well.”
Alice didn’t know how to respond. Naturally when someone points a rifle at you, you’re inclined to give them whatever they want as to keep yourself alive. But, to her, leaving them stranded on a deserted road without any supplies was as good as death.
“Please, we need that car. I beg you—”
“Save it, lady. It’s every man for himself out there. Or, woman, I’m sorry. The point being that I don’t give a shit what you need. I just know what I need and I need that car.”
“I have two children. Don’t leave us out here like this,” Alice said, growing hysterical.
Jeremy circled them again. Their arms were still in the air. Brian’s arms were growing tired, and they started to drop. “This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to walk over to that car, and drive off. If you make one move, I’ll shoot you. Is that clear enough?” he asked.
“My daughter is in the car. At least let me get her before you leave,” Alice pleaded.
They heard the sound of a car door shut. It was Kiya. She walked towards them with a curious look on her face. Alice held her arms out as to command Kiya to stay back.
“Don’t come any closer, Kiya, we’re fine over here!” she shouted.
“What are you guys doing?” Kiya asked.
“Just stay there. We’re okay,” Alice said as her voice cracked in panic.
“Well, looks like we solved that problem,” Jeremy said. He looked to Kiya and Brian and did a quick bow. “Pleasure doing business with you,” he said. He then walked away, keeping his rifle aimed in their direction.
The End Boxset: Postapocalyptic Visions of an Unstoppable Collapse Page 24