The Catalyst: (Book One)

by Devi Mara

  There was no one. She paused at the corner to look both ways. Two blocks down, a corner store sign blazed in the dreary outcast day. She looked the other way, before turning toward the store. Robin walked quickly, eyes focused on the light. The only sign of life in the neighborhood. As she walked past an electronics store, an old box TV set caught her eye.

  She paused outside the bared window. The TV was muted, but a news bulletin rolled across the bottom of the screen while a well-dressed couple sat behind a desk. She recognized them from the morning news. They should have been replaced by another team hours ago. Robin moved closer to peer at the words scrolling across the screen.

  “…the city. The mayor asks the greater Chicago area to evacuate in a calm and organized fashion. National Guard troops will arrive to help in the evacuation of the city.”

  The message scrolled three more times, before Robin moved away from the window and looked around. The neighborhood had been emptied while she slept fitfully in the upstairs of the abandoned house. It seemed deserted because it was. She took another step back from the window and clenched her hands into fists. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she could not draw a full breath.

  The intelligent part of her mind realized she was having a panic attack, but she could not stop it. Robin stumbled down the sidewalk toward the corner store. The door opened when she pushed at it and she fell into the counter. She was vaguely aware of the tinkling of the bell above the door, as she pulled open a cooler and grabbed a bottle of water. She ripped off the lid and gulped half of it, before she slowed down.

  Something banged right behind her and the bottle leapt from her hands. It rolled across the floor leaving a trail of water in its wake. Robin turned to see someone standing at the door of the store. Possibly a woman. It was difficult to tell under the layers of raggedy clothing. Robin did not move, until the person knocked again. A harsh banging against the metal grate covering the door.

  “You deaf?” the person shouted.

  A woman, then. Robin inched toward the door and pulled it open. The woman’s eyes widened under the edge of her stocking cap.

  “It isn’t locked,” Robin muttered.

  The woman took a cautious step inside, scanning the area.

  “You alone?” she asked.

  Robin gave her a long look, taking in the ratty clothing and dirt smeared across the woman’s forehead and one cheek. She nodded.

  “Why ain’t you gone with the rest?” The woman asked, eyes wandering toward the wealth of food lining the shelves.

  “Why aren’t you?” Robin shot back.

  The woman let out a bark of laugher. “Smart mouth, huh?”

  Robin continued to stare at her.

  “Ain’t never had much use for them people.” At Robin’s raised eyebrow, she explained. “The news, the governor. Them high and mighty types.”

  The woman looked her over, no doubt taking in the quality of her clothing.

  “Right,” Robin muttered.

  “Never had any use for me. Ain’t got no use for them.” The woman moved past her. “You got a claim on this place or what?”

  “Excuse me?” Robin asked, watching the woman snatch things off the shelf.

  “This place,” the woman said, tucking a bag of chips into the folds of her clothes. “It your take or you up to sharing?”

  “My take? No. I just…” Robin looked around. “I just wandered in looking for supplies.”

  The woman paused in the act of opening a piece of beef jerky. “Supplies?”

  “Food, water, medical supplies.”

  “Huh,” the woman grunted.

  Robin watched her take a large bite of the beef stick in her hand.

  “Are you leaving the city?” Robin asked, as she moved closer to the counter to grab a few of the paper bags.

  The woman looked up when she moved, but relaxed at the sight of the paper bags.

  “Guess so. Why? You planning to tag along?” The woman gave her a crooked grin, revealing several missing teeth.

  “I am sharing my take with you,” Robin said. She handed the woman a bag. “Seems only fair.”

  “Your take, huh? Thought you just wandered in.”

  “Yes, well. Since I discovered it…” Robin trailed off and waited.

  The woman paused with the bag halfway filled with food. She screwed up her face into a grimace.

  “As much as I want?” she clarified.

  Robin nodded. “And you will take me with you.”

  The woman looked at her and Robin could see the wheels turning. She was no doubt wondering if she could simply take what she wanted. Robin straightened her spine, putting her head several inches above the other woman’s.

  “Fine,” the woman spat. She gestured toward the bags in Robin’s hands. “Fill those up. And look for a better bag.”

  Robin bit back a triumphant smile, simply nodding.

  She wandered down the aisle until she reached the back of the store. Through a door marked ‘Employees Only’, she found a beat up backpack. The wadded up papers and text book declared someone named Calvin the owner. Robin did not think Calvin would mind if she borrowed his backpack. She carefully removed the text book, papers, and a cheap notebook and set them on the floor by the back door.

  If he ever came back, his things would be safe and close to where he left them. With that thought in mind, she carried the empty bag back into the main area of the store and began to fill the bag with dried meat and granola bars. The woman passed her in the aisle and nodded at her progress.

  “Water, too,” she grunted.

  Robin nodded and carried the bag to the coolers. She managed to fit four liters of water into the backpack. Not enough for more than one day’s worth of water for two people, but better than nothing. When the bag was full, she left it by the cooler and wandered to the far side of the store. There she found a small apparel section.

  “Hey!” she called over her shoulder.

  “What?” the woman called back.

  “Clothes.”

  The woman walked over to stand beside her. “Layer. And get two pairs of socks.”

  Robin nodded. She grabbed one of the long-handled cloth bags from the rack holding a few gaudy purses. She stuffed a sweatshirt that said ‘Chicago’ in large block letters, a pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt, and two pairs of thick socks into the bag. When it was done, she carried the bag with her to the tiny medical section near the door.

  There was not much, just basic home first aid supplies, but it was enough. She grabbed a roll of bandages, a tube of antibiotic ointment, and after a moment of thought, a sharp pair of scissors. She dropped to the floor and pulled off her boots. The store only had cheap, fabric tennis shoes. The boots were far more study and dependable, so she had not bothered to grab new shoes.

  Robin quickly unwrapped her feet and unscrewed a bottle of alcohol. She clenched her teeth and poured the alcohol over the bottom of her right foot. She sucked in a deep breath through her nose to keep from shrieking. Her hands shook when she applied a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the deep cuts and wrapped the bandages around her foot.

  She grabbed a pair of socks from the bag beside her and rolled one thick sock over the bandages. Her boot fit better with the sock in place and the pain medication in the ointment took the edge off her agony. Robin repeated the actions with her other foot. Halfway through lacing up the second boot, a pair of feet appeared beside her. Robin raised her head to look up at the woman.

  “Let’s go,” the woman said gruffly.

  Robin jerked the laces tight and tucked them in to her boot. “Alright.”

  She stood and watched the woman heft a long-handled bag over her shoulder. She had clearly traded in the paper bags for something more substantial.

  “What do I call you?” Robin asked.

  The woman frowned at her. “Why?”

  Robin returned her frown. “It will get tiresome simply saying ‘Hey, you!’ every time I want to address you.”

 
; “Tiresome, huh?” The woman narrowed her eyes. “Sound like one of them high and mighty types.”

  Robin simply looked at her.

  “Name’s Verna,” she spat. “You?”

  Robin raised her eyebrows at the hostility, but forced a smile. “Robin.”

  “You got a fancy house, Robin?”

  “No.”

  And she was not lying. Robin doubted she owned anything anymore. What she had in the bank, in stocks and bonds, any property at all, had no doubt been seized when she ran. Even if she had stayed, she probably would have lost it. Robin sighed. There was no point thinking about it. It was done.

  “Good,” Verna said. “Street ain’t no place for fancy house types.”

  “Right,” Robin muttered.

  She retrieved the backpack from where she left it and slid the straps onto her shoulders. The handles of the other bag were long enough to cross over her chest, leaving the weight to rest on her hip. With the supplies settled in place, she met Verna by the door.

  “I’m ready.”

  Verna gave her a long look. “If you say so.”

  Robin followed her from the store, the tinkling of the bell echoing in her ears for the next two blocks.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Without a word spoken between them, it was decided that they should continue heading south. If everyone else had left the city there was a reason. Robin walked a few steps to the right of Verna, keeping her eyes on their surroundings. Her feet ached, but she ignored it. It could wait. They plodded down the side of the deserted highway in silence.

  The two-lane highway passed through several villages, most no larger than four thousand people. They were as empty as Chicago had been. Robin shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket. What could scare people enough to actually listen when they were told to leave? When natural disasters occurred, no one heeded warnings or demands.

  “Do you know why the city was evacuated?” Robin asked.

  Verna gave her a short glare. “Said I didn’t.”

  “I apologize,” Robin murmured.

  Verna muttered under her breath for a moment, before she came to a stop on the side of the road.

  “Look, I ain’t got no idea where everyone is. I don’t much care, neither.”

  Robin frowned and turned to face her. “We should know what we are dealing with.”

  “You do what you want. I’m going to that shed right there and going to sleep.”

  Robin followed Verna’s gaze to dilapidated shelter next to the railroad tracks just visible in the distance. She nodded.

  “We passed a sign for another village less than a mile ago.”

  “And?” Verna asked, already walking again.

  “I will look for information and meet you at the shed.”

  Verna stopped and sent her a short glare. “You sleep when you’ve got the time.”

  Robin nodded. “I understand, but we need information.”

  Verna huffed. “Whatever.”

  Robin watched her stomp away and started walking behind her. After ten minutes, Verna veered off to the left to head for the railroad tracks and Robin continued along the highway. The final mile before she reached the village seemed longer without Verna’s grouchy company. Robin paused next to the sign at a four-way stop and looked around.

  There were a few houses on her right, a relatively new subdivision. Some of the houses were missing a front yard and the sidewalks were still a pristine white. She walked toward the closest house, shifting the long-handled bag across her body. What had been manageable when she left Chicago, felt like bricks five hours later. She turned into the driveway and stepped up to the front porch. The house was still and dark, like every other house nearby.

  Robin tested the handle. Locked. She sighed. Of course they would not have left their house unlocked. She shook her head at herself. Robin backed up to looked at the house again. Maybe, there was a spare key. She glanced down at the decorative rocks and statues surroundings the front porch. A pair of stone frogs crouched next to a disgruntled looking gnome.

  At the edge of the porch, several large stones sat in a line. Robin considered them. They served no purpose, being neither decorative nor used to edge the sidewalk. She slipped the strap of her bag over her head and let it thud to the ground, before she shifted out of the backpack straps. She rolled her shoulders to relieve some of the soreness and crouched down to examine the rocks.

  The sixth one from the left was hollow. Robin smiled. She stood with a wince and grabbed both bags in her left hand, while she held the key in her right. The interior of the house was pleasantly warm after hours of walking in the cold. There was a touch of sweetness in the air, as if the family had been burning a candle or baking just before they left. Robin sat the bags just inside the door and pushed it closed with her heel.

  The last of the weak daylight filtered through lace curtains hanging in the kitchen. Robin passed through the living room to stand beside the kitchen island. The counter left of the sink held a green dish drainer and next to that a small TV. She moved around the island to switch it on. A loud beeping came from a plain blue background. A moment later, a monotone voice came on to tell her she was watching an emergency recording.

  “Clearly,” she muttered, flipping the channel.

  Three channels had the same background and voice, but the national news was still on the air. Robin leaned back against the island to watch the report. A pretty blonde woman struggled to stay calm, as she looked into the camera and began to speak.

  “…being told to stay out of the major cities. There are confirmed reports of sightings over Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Chicago…”

  Robin frowned. Sightings over cities. Sightings of what?

  “…National Guard checkpoints in the following cities.”

  Robin listened until she heard a city she recognized. Bloomington. One hundred miles away. They would need a car. On foot, it would take them nearly a week. Her attention snapped back to the TV as the news reporter began to cry. A woman in street clothes led her out from behind the desk and off screen. A moment later, a man in a slacks and a polo shirt took her vacant seat.

  “Susan will be back with us shortly,” he said with a weak smile. “As she started to say, the checkpoints have food and shelter and are safe until this situation is handled by the authorities. You are urged to stay calm and proceed toward one of the checkpoints. Do not return to the cities we have mentioned under any circumstances.”

  He stopped to take a gulp of the water on the desk. Robin noticed his hands shook enough to slosh water onto the shiny surface.

  “I repeat, do not go back into the city.”

  Robin scowled at the screen. He had yet to tell her what had caused the evacuations. Just as she was about to switch off the TV, an image filled the screen. The New York City skyline on fire. As she watched, a hulking shape drifted through the smoke and a deafening boom caused the speakers to crackle. The screen quickly switched back to the newsroom.

  The man’s face was shiny with sweat and he seemed unable to draw a deep breath. Two men carried him out of view. The original anchor, Susan, returned to the desk and shakily sat down in the chair.

  “New York is experiencing some activity,” she said.

  Someone off-screen muttered something rude.

  Robin blinked, frozen in her place leaning against the counter. They were under attack. Someone was attacking major cities. She whirled around, searching for the remote. When she found it, she rewound the broadcast and paused on the shape in the smoke. Robin moved closer to the screen.

  It was a ship of some kind. Based on the size relative to the remaining buildings around it… She did a quick calculation in her head and her eyes widened. It would be the length of five city blocks and the width of three. Robin slumped back against the island. There was no way it was terrestrial.

  She paused at the thought. Just like Addar. Just like Ilan. She snapped off the TV and headed down the hallway. The thir
d door she opened lead to the garage. One spot was empty. The other held a late model minivan. It would do. She turned away and retraced her steps to the front door. On a table by the door, a small bowl held a set of keys. She snatched them.

  Grabbing the bags, Robin hurried out to the garage and opened the driver’s side door. She shoved the bags through to the passenger seat and pressed the button on the garage door opener clipped to the visor. The tires squealed, as she sped down the driveway and out onto the street. Robin barely remembered to close the garage door when she left the neighborhood.

  Verna was standing outside the shed with a cigarette when she pulled up. The headlights flashed across her and she covered her eyes. Robin shoved open the door and leapt out.

  “We have to go!” she yelled, glancing to the north.

  There were only ten miles from the suburbs of Chicago. There was no way to know how far out the destruction would reach.

  “You steal a car?” Verna asked, taking another puff of her cigarette.

  “I found out what is happening. We need to move further away from the city.”

  “How come?”

  Robin shook her head. “Can I tell you in the car?”

  Verna gave her a long look, before she flicked her cigarette into the bushes and ducked into the shed. Robin eyed the dark sky, nearly bouncing in place as she waited for Verna to appear. The other woman stepped out of the shed with her bag and stomped to the passenger side of the van. She slid open the side door and climbed into the back while Robin watched her in confusion.

  “You don’t want to ride in the front.”

  “I’m sleeping.”

  “Oh.” Robin shrugged and got in on the driver’s side, slamming her door. “Alright.”

  She pulled back onto the highway, headed south. Verna started snoring before they left the village. Robin glanced in the rearview mirror at the older woman and smiled slightly. Verna’s mouth hung open and a ragged lock of hair fell over her face. It moved with each breath. She would tell her what she had found out after they had gotten far enough away.

  Robin turned her eyes to the long, dark highway. Verna would not believe her. She had seen the live video and she barely believed it. But she had known Addar was something altogether different. From somewhere else. Now, he was not alone. Robin sighed. But aside from one other person, she was. Were it not for Verna, she would be traveling alone.