by Connor Mccoy
Jacob pulled his wife closer. However, upon tilting his head higher, he suddenly blurted out a “Damn!”
Domino looked up. “What’s wrong?”
“The angle of the sun. It’s approaching dusk. It’s later than I thought. It’s not going to be long before night falls.”
Chapter Two
Jacob kept a straight face as he pondered his choices. Sadly, in this new world, even casual decisions could be life or death.
They could not make it to any town in time before the sun went down, so they could not take shelter in any community. They would have to camp out. So, that left the option of turning from the road and seeking shelter out in the woods beyond.
He remembered his ordeal on the road coming back from Middleburg. He had been traveling on the bike with Doctor Hien Nguyen, a companion he had picked up from Middleburg, when the doctor got lost in the darkness. After doubling back, Jacob had searched the tall grassy fields for him. It had taken a while, but Jacob had been able to meet up with Nguyen. However, they had not been alone. A pair of men had been exploring the tall grass. Jacob also recalled smelling fresh corpses. People had died out there. He never learned if they had died at the hands of those men. He wondered if roving bands with ill-intent prowled the roads at night.
“Damn,” Jacob whispered.
If so, perhaps they should abandon the truck now and ditch the supplies so they could move faster and put greater distance between themselves and the road. But if they did, their whole effort here was for nothing. They should have just taken their sensitive documents from the truck and bolted.
“Thinking of what to do next?” Domino asked.
“This might have been a mistake,” Jacob said, “The sun’s setting soon.”
“Alright. We’ll just head out in the morning,” Domino said with surprising calmness.
“I know, but I’d like to camp out someplace that isn’t close to here.” Jacob didn’t want to voice the rest of his worries if possible.
“Why?” Domino patted the passenger side of the door. “We’ll just sleep in here.”
Jacob’s eyes widened. The solution seemed so simple he could have smacked himself for not thinking of it sooner. There was enough room for all four of them to sleep inside, so why not?
As he approached the driver’s side door, a fresh worry gripped him. “The truck is sturdy. It could protect us, but it doesn’t exactly conceal us from view.” He tapped the glass.
“And who’s going to see us in the dark?” Domino laughed. “No one could see us, even if the street lights were working. We’re too far from the road.”
Domino was right. With no street lights, no one could see the Averys inside the truck from the road. Hell, the truck itself was not easily visible from where it was parked. The plan seemed foolproof.
But Jacob imagined the lanterns of those men again. “Yeah, but you never know if anyone might show up with lamps or maybe some flashlights that somehow are working. Even in the dark, all these cars might draw some wanderers over.”
“We can cover the windows,” Brandon said as he walked up to Jacob. “We have some cloth we can push against them.”
Domino rubbed her son’s hair. “Sounds perfect.”
Jacob beamed. His family was full of good ideas. If they covered the windows, it might be enough to get them through the night without incident. Plus, he couldn’t deny that locking themselves in the truck could be safer then sleeping in a tent.
Jacob placed the final pin against the cloth as his wife laid against her seat. “I think that should do it.” All of the truck windows were covered with cloth. With the darkness outside, no one could discern the covered windows unless they walked up really close to the vehicle.
The coverings gave them an added benefit. With the windows blocked, the Averys could afford to crank down the windows a notch, allowing the evening breeze to seep into the truck. Sleeping inside a completely sealed truck probably would be an unbearable experience. Jacob was glad his family would enjoy some ventilation for the night.
He wouldn’t take any chances, though. He fingered the small telescope in his hand. He would stay up a little longer to take occasional watches. If he got wind of possible intruders, they could roll up the windows and fortify themselves within the truck.
Jacob gazed at the gun on his belt. His wife and children were similarly armed. An intruder who tried something would not find the Avery family to be easy pickings.
Domino giggled. “These seats are actually pretty comfy.”
Jacob felt the leather of his own seat. She had a point. The chair leather was not heavily worn from a lot of use, although a few rips had formed along the edges. He had thought of patching them up in the near future before the craziness began. Now this might be the last time he and his family would sit in here.
“Hey!” Brandon called from behind them. “No hanky panky up there!”
“God, please, no,” added Jubilee, seated opposite him.
Domino aimed a wry look at Jacob. “Hey, maybe we should have the kids sleep outside so we can go on that second honeymoon we talked about?”
“Aw, gross!” Brandon cried.
“Don’t say those things! You’ll scar me for life!” Jubilee slapped her hands over her ears.
Chuckling, Jacob sat up. “Do I at least get to give my lady a good night kiss?” he asked.
Brandon mimicked Jubilee’s last action. “Don’t make it too loud.”
Domino reached over and tickled Jacob’s neck. “I think they’re just teasing us.” She kissed him on the left cheek.
Jacob looked to the radio. “Too bad we can’t turn this on. It’d almost make the night feel perfect.”
Domino scooted closer to the edge of her seat, nearer to Jacob. “That’s right. I almost forgot we’ll probably never ever hear music again either.”
“Well, not recorded music.” Jacob put his arm around Domino. “But people still can play it. Without television or the internet, maybe more people will take up music as a hobby.”
“I like drums,” Jubilee said.
Domino turned her head toward her daughter. “Really?”
The teen shrank back into the seat. “I…” It seemed that she blurted out something she wasn’t prepared to admit.
“Well, that’s great!” Jacob said. “That might be something to think about, something you might want to take up.”
Jubilee smiled crookedly. “I guess. I mean, it always looked cool, but you all spent so much on my MMA training that I didn’t want to bring it up.”
“It’s fine if you want another hobby,” Domino said. “If you’re dedicated enough.” She sighed. “I think we’re all going to find new things to do. Without TVs and phones…”
“That’s right.” Jacob figured they all would develop new interests as they adapted to a world without electricity. He hoped to encourage such pursuits among his family once they reached home.
Brandon hated the seat.
He could sleep lying down on almost any surface. He could doze off in a comfy bed or on a hard floor. But put him in a chair, even a comfortable, plush seat, and he had no hope of catching some z’s.
Jubilee was another matter. She could sleep in a bed or in a chair with no problems, although given what she had been through, Brandon was not surprised that she fell asleep almost at the drop of a hat.
Brandon’s vision drifted to the bandage around Jubilee’s upper right arm. They had not unwrapped it to check it since earlier this morning. Jubilee had not complained of pain since shortly before they had discovered the truck. Perhaps soon she would be back to normal.
Brandon likely never would forget what had happened. They were fishing in a pond in the backyard of their home. Suddenly, something zinged past. It flew too fast for Brandon to spot it. He would discover moments later that it was a small arrow. Someone was trespassing on their property and shooting birds for fun.
But things had taken a horrific turn when that arrow had hit Jubilee in the arm.
Brandon wondered why he never saw the shooter. He wasn’t alert for possible dangers. The large fence his father had erected had acted as a substantial barrier against predators. But a man still could climb over if he was so inclined.
His sister’s screams rang through his mind. Brandon tried to shut them out. He never had heard his sister cry out so terribly. The pain must have been unimaginable. Just thinking about it made him shudder.
Maybe that was why he couldn’t sleep. He didn’t want to close his eyes while his sister slept. He feared that another threat would rear its head. So, Brandon decided to stand watch with his binoculars. He took care to poke them under the cloth covering the window, although he was certain no one outside would spot him on watch.
As the minutes passed, his eyes grew heavier. There was almost nothing to look at outside but darkness and vague shapes that could be nearby vehicles, all stalled out off the road. Then the fuzzy landscape began wearing him out. It seemed useless to keep watching.
But before lethargy could claim him, a small light appeared in the distance. It was small, yet noticeable. Brandon thought he was looking at a firefly. At least it was something to look at. Brandon kept an eye on it.
However, the light grew larger. Though it remained relatively small, the light was drawing closer and becoming more defined. Brandon tightened the focus on his binoculars.
His heart quickened. It wasn’t easy to discern, but Brandon made out a human form walking next to the light. His mind filled in more details: the light was coming from a lantern dangling from the hold of an approaching man.
Jacob blinked his eyes. Still nothing. His eyes had been growing heavy for the past hour. He ought to pack it in and get some sleep. The night had remained serene. Perhaps the nights around here were generally uneventful, and Jacob had nothing to worry about.
He let the binoculars drop from his face into his lap. He slid the cloth to cover up the small gap he had allowed to see through the glass.
You need some sleep, he thought. A tired Jacob Avery was not going to be fit to lead his family home by the next nightfall.
His wife slumbered peacefully. He heard nothing from the back seat and felt too tired to peek in on his children. He assumed they were asleep as well.
What’s home going to be like? Is everything going to be alright when we get there? He wasn’t sure that they could just waltz up to their front door without exercising caution. A person or a band of people might have discovered it and squatted there.
But if so, what will we do? Are we going to have to fight to take back our home? Would they have to storm the doors and windows of their homestead, with guns drawn? The thought both terrified and enraged him.
Jacob’s eyes grew heavier. His concentration faded. His mind retreated into a dreamlike vision of his homestead, with its rows of crops and grassy fields where his children would play.
But the magnificence of his home quickly turned bleak. The blue sky above it grew cloudy. A dark shadow loomed over the house, so black that he could not make out the details of his home. It was like a dark shape sticking out of the land.
The front door creaked open, revealing an orange light. Jacob wanted to push his field of vision into the door, but fear kept him back. Who was inside?
This doesn’t feel like home anymore. It’s like an alien place. No, turn away. Brandon! Jubilee! Domino! Pull back!
But an unseen voice suddenly grabbed Jacob and pushed him right through the doorway. He flew right into a sea of orange fire.
“Dad!” Brandon’s voice cried.
Jacob awoke with a jolt. “Brandon?” He turned so violently he smacked his face into the side of the door. “Ow! What’s wrong?” He had fallen asleep, of that he was certain, but for how long?
Jubilee grabbed onto the back of Jacob’s seat. “Somebody’s out there.”
Domino stirred. “Baby? What?” She rubbed her eyes.
Brandon pointed to his window. “Someone with a light. I saw him coming!”
Domino’s jaw tightened. Another threat to her family could be lurking just outside of their window. She swore under her breath as she poked her binoculars under the cloth.
Sure enough, she spotted a man outside, but in the darkness his features remained indistinct. He was holding a lantern that wobbled close enough to himself to show off his gray pants. Other than that, Domino could not make out anything else.
“I see him,” Domino said, dropping her voice low. “He’s coming. No wait, he’s just walking at an angle.” She nodded her head to the left. “That way. He might miss us.”
“Roll up the windows,” Jacob said.
Brandon and Jubilee complied. Domino also took hold of the crank and turned it to push the window up the rest of the way. There would be no chance of the man finding an opening into the truck.
Domino returned to her watch. She thought of the gun in her belt. At any moment, she might have to use it.
“Do we have to whisper?” Jubilee asked.
“Yeah,” Jacob replied, “Yeah, we should keep our voices down.”
Domino chewed on her lip. She hated having to hunker down like this. She despised the fact that threatening men existed out there. However, it was a fact of life that she knew only too well.
A glass bottle saved me from being raped in high school. I was lucky. If I wasn’t armed when I was fighting off Diablo and those skuzzy Lutz cousins, I’d be six feet under by now.
That event ensured that a firearm would be her constant companion. When an evildoer reared his head, Domino vowed to blow him away.
And so, she waited for something to change, an event to make her draw her weapon.
Chapter Three
Jacob wiped fresh sweat from his face. Maybe the rolled-up windows were trapping in hot air, but Jacob bet the tense situation was causing the perspiration. He wondered if sleeping in the truck was a mistake. Instead of providing security, this truck might end up becoming their coffin.
Without a working watch, Jacob could not tell the time, but he bet at least thirty minutes had passed. Domino updated with the same news—the man was still out there. He apparently was milling around one of the stalled cars. He might be searching it for something, perhaps scavenging for whatever he could find.
But Domino had noticed something more unsettling. There was additional movement beyond the car, closer to the road. The figures were too dark to make out, and some of the cars were slightly blocking them, but Domino was sure more men lurked outside.
At the moment, Domino could not hear any voices. Perhaps the Avery family was too far away from them to hear any chatter.
I wonder if any of them are the same men who tracked me and Doctor Nguyen a few nights ago? Jacob thought. If one of them should recognize Jacob, what would the man do or say?
“You think maybe they’re not bad people?” Jubilee asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Brandon smirked. “You want to go ask them?”
“No!” Jubilee narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m just asking.”
“It’s a good question.” Jacob nodded at his daughter. “They might be. Some people are just out to rob and hurt people, but you’re also going to have survivors who just are looking for resources, fuel, any scrap of food they can find. You might even run into whole caravans of people.”
Jacob cleared his throat so he could speak longer. “People are going to band together because they can’t find resources on their own. There’s also safety in numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised to run into…” He fished a number out of thin air. “…a group of hundreds of people.”
“So, that’s a good thing?” Jubilee asked.
“Not unless they created their own army. Ever seen The Postman?” Brandon asked.
Jubilee lowered her voice. “Mom said you weren’t supposed to see that movie.”
Domino aimed a mischievous look at her son while Jacob continued. “Yeah, armed bands can be a problem too. No matter who we encounter out here, from now on we have
to observe them from a distance until we know they’re friendly.”
Brandon patted his face with the cloth, drying off fresh sweat. “You want to try cards again?” Jubilee asked, “Crazy Eights?”
The younger Avery sibling sat up. “I think so.” He had been in and out of sleep for a while. Jacob wanted his children to rest if they could while he and Domino kept watch. But the stuffiness of the truck wasn’t helping.
“I don’t have to go the bathroom anymore,” Brandon said.
“You’re probably sweating it all out.” Jubilee passed Brandon a few cards. “I haven’t felt like going since…” She looked at her wrist. “Shoot! Why do I keep doing that? My watch stopped working when everything else shut down!”
Brandon took the cards. “I kept checking my phone when I was at Doc Sam’s. Maybe we ought to make a game. How many times do we keep checking our stuff that doesn’t work anymore?”
“What does the winner get?” Jubilee asked as she looked at her cards.
“What? The winner’s the one who looks the most? I was thinking it should be the one that looks the least.” Brandon gazed at his cards.
As the two children played, Domino spoke up. “Jay, it’s starting to brighten up out there. I don’t like this. Those men are still out there. When the sun comes up, they’re going to see our coverings on the windows. That might draw them in.”
Jacob clenched his teeth. Domino had maintained watch and the news had not been great. She definitely had been able to make out a few more men in the darkness. Maddeningly, Domino could not discern any more details, whether the men were carrying guns or other armaments or what they were doing out there. The Averys had not even heard noises beyond an occasional grinding sound that could have been a car door or a trunk being forced open.