by Connor Mccoy
“Wait!” Cowell waved his hand at the packs on Brandon’s and Domino’s backs. “You have packs. Did you know about this?”
“We prepared. We never took anything for granted.” Jacob started walking across the overpass.
“Don’t walk away!” Cowell shook his finger at them. “I want answers! What did you know about this? What’s going to happen now? Damn you! You’ll tell me what’s going on here!”
The Averys trekked alongside the canal with Jacob in the lead. The journey would have proceeded at a faster clip if the land was more level, but Jacob had to be cautious. One trip could not only send Jacob falling but Jubilee as well.
The group had remained quiet this whole time. Perhaps it was weariness, or shock. Both Jacob and Domino suspected what had happened but did not want to voice it for fear of confirming what they believed.
It was hard, though, for Jacob to push his worries about the world aside. Every now and then he would gaze up at the sky. Usually, several times a day, he would hear a plane soaring overhead on their way to the airports in the D.C. area. That was not the case now. For the past couple of hours, he had not heard a thing overhead except the occasion cawing bird.
It wasn’t long, however, before the end of their journey loomed in sight. A small town stretched out before them. The irrigation canal joined with a second one in a T-intersection. While the next canal seemed to bar their way to the town, an old wooden bridge across it instantly offered a solution. They would be in Trapp soon.
Soft crunching sounds drew Jacob’s attention. Turning his head, he discovered that Cowell was trailing them from a distance. He was not making up much ground as he stepped gingerly, keeping his gaze mostly to the ground.
“Dad, the cyborg’s back,” Brandon said.
“I know,” Jacob said, “he wants answers. He doesn’t know what’s going on and he thinks we do. He’d have left us behind if he did.” He directed his attention forward. “Doms, keep an eye to our rear, just in case.”
Domino, nodding, flashed an acidic look at the man following them.
As they crossed the bridge, an additional thought chilled his bones. His sister! She was in the D.C. area. She would be in the middle of a densely populated area with no electricity. Jacob had read studies on what would happen to society if there was a complete loss of power and electronics. It wasn’t going to be pretty. The best bet in the initial aftermath would be to flee from any large population centers and find refuge out in the countryside or sparsely populated areas.
Sheryl, I gave you my address. If you’re smart, you’ll get the hell out of there!
He was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly bumped into the bridge’s side barrier. He sucked in a heavy breath and kept going. Jubilee came first. Any worries about Sheryl would have to wait.
“This is the address,” Brandon said slowly. The disbelief in his voice was obvious. Jacob could understand why.
For one thing, the house that stood before them was the oddest house Jacob ever had seen. It was composed of white bags held together with barbed wire. The bags were thick. They would have to be to maintain the structure of this dwelling. But what the hell was in them?
“Dad?” Brandon asked.
“Yeah, I know.” Jacob shook his head.
“Earthbags,” Domino said, “there’s got to be dirt or sand in them.”
Jacob took a step closer. “I guess it’d have to be.”
“So, this Doc Sam guy built his house out of sand?” Brandon asked.
“Don’t knock it, Son. This might actually be cheaper than making it out of wood, cement and drywall,” Jacob said with a slight laugh. But even so, what did this say about the man’s ability to help Jubilee? Was this man too eccentric to help them out?
A closer look revealed that Doc Sam had taken some steps to secure his house. He had woven barbed wire to hold the bags together. The bags also were given an epoxy finish to help smooth the outer surface.
The immediate land surrounding the house looked about as strange. Cacti encircled the home. It was as if the home had been scooped up from a desert somewhere and dropped down into this grassy area.
“Domino, did that woman tell you anything about this Doc Sam?” Jacob asked.
Domino shook her head. “She just told me he could help. She didn’t say anything else, even what he looked like. She definitely didn’t tell me about all of this.” She waved to the cactus plants.
Jubilee now was slumbering on Jacob’s back. The trip had exhausted her. “Here, help her off.” Jacob crouched down. Brandon and Domino helped slide Jubilee off onto the grass.
With Jubilee down, Jacob stole a glance behind them. There was no sign of Alex Cowell. Their shadow evidently had decided to break off upon entering Trapp. Good. He did not want that man on his mind while he was trying to secure Doc Sam’s help.
“What are we going to do?” Brandon asked.
Jacob steadied himself. He was exhausted himself from the long walk and carrying Jubilee. He fought the urge to sit down and rest. If there was a legit doctor in that house, he had to convince him to help his daughter.
“I’m going to go knock on the door,” Jacob replied to Brandon with mock casualness.
“Wait!” Domino drew the gun from Jacob’s get home bag.
Jacob shook his head. “Great idea, Doms. I go to his house with a gun. What do you think he’s going to do?”
“If he’s not a maniac, fine. But if he is…”
“People who aren’t maniacs might still jump the gun. I can’t take that chance. Hold on to it for me.”
Jacob approached the front door of the home. He looked around the door frame for cameras or peepholes. What should he do? Perhaps he ought to reveal that he wasn’t armed. He held out his arms while keeping his hands open and kept that stance.
“Well? What do you want me to do, high-five you?” spoke a male voice from behind the door.
Jacob cleared his throat. “I, uh, just wanted to show that I don’t have any weapons.”
“Thanks, friend. Let me get my shotgun so I can blow you away without any recriminations while I rob you. You’re a hell of a smart one. Why don’t you just wear a sign that says ‘I’m a dumbass?’”
Jacob’s cheeks burned. “Sir, I was just trying to show I wasn’t any threat to you.”
“Well, that’s stupid. If you’re not a threat, then I could kill you on the spot.”
“Sir, I don’t have time to waste.” Jacob lowered his arms. “My daughter’s hurt. Are you Doc Sam?”
“Let me check my mirror.” A brief pause. “Yeah, I’m still Doc Sam. Hold on a sec.”
Jacob waited amid the sound of opening locks from the other side of the door. Then, once the door finally was pulled open, Jacob was greeted by the sight of a man whose appearance definitely matched the eccentricity of his home. The first thing Jacob noticed was the man’s tremendous eyebrows. They spouted from his head like whiskers. Otherwise, he was clean shaven, and his head was shiny and bald. His upper body, however, belied his age. He was an active man, no question about it. He seemed pretty formidable for his age.
The man raised his eyebrows. “So, what happened?”
“My daughter was shot in the arm by some stupid guy who thought he was a hunter,” Jacob said. “Please let me bring her inside. She needs help, quickly.”
The doctor stepped past Jacob, stopping between two of his tallest cacti, a place where he could view Jacob’s family easily. “I didn’t expect you so soon,” he said.
“So soon?” Jacob asked.
Doc Sam looked up at the blue sky. “The EMP. You know about it, right?”
“Of course. The damned thing stopped my truck. I had to hike all the way back to my family.”
“I knew folks would be showing up here, but you all sure got here sooner than I figured,” Doc Sam said.
Jacob scooped up Jubilee in his arms. “Guess we were just lucky.”
“You may wish for all the luck you can get,” Doc Sam said
, a little more solemnly than before. “C’mon, let’s get her inside.”
Chapter Six
Jacob carried his daughter into Doc Sam’s home while Domino and Brandon waited outside. The living room was small, with a big couch, a smaller loveseat, several chairs, and an end table. There was no television set. The area reminded Jacob more of a waiting room.
A waiting room. So, this place might be the doctor’s clinic after all. The overall interior was fascinating to look at. A wooden lattice held up walls and a ceiling. Doors led to other rooms, one behind Jacob and Jubilee, one off to the side, and a third which Doc Sam was opening up right at that moment.
Jacob followed. In this room, Jacob was greeted by a raised bed and a bevy of medical instruments.
“Put her there.” Doc Sam jabbed his finger to the bed. The covering sheet was pulled back, allowing Jacob easily to deposit his daughter onto it. She moaned a bit but did not move. Jacob was thankful for any sound she made, as it indicated she was alive and fighting.
Doc Sam rolled out a metal tank. “She’s out like a light, but I won’t take the chance she wakes up.” He stopped it short of the bed, close to her head. “This little baby will keep her in dreamland while we work. Now, in order to get the arrow out of her, we’re going to have to continue the path through the arm.”
Jacob grimaced. “Through her arm?”
“It’s our only choice. It’s going to damage her too much to try extracting it. This won’t be pleasant, but it’s got to be done.”
“If it helps her, I don’t care,” Jacob replied.
Sam inserted an IV from the tank into Jubilee’s arm. “This is pretty ugly. Of course, I’ve seen far worse. Far worse indeed.”
Jacob looked at the wall behind him. There were a few old certificates on plaques hanging just above his head. A picture close by showed what looked like Doc Sam, although much younger, with a full head of dark hair and a grin, posing next to a man in a military uniform.
“Looks like you have,” Jacob said while staring at the picture.
Doc Sam turned his head. “Oh.” He chuckled. “You’ve caught some of my old memories. Sergeant Dan Sullivan. Good man. Died last year.” Jacob then turned to see the doctor’s eyes. They looked sad, but then he turned back to Jubilee.
“Dan was the last one. This place is my world now.”
“So, you were military?” Jacob asked.
“Yep. Army Ranger medic. Served in the Middle East. When my service was over, I spent the next twenty-five years teaching herbal medicine in other countries. Racked up a lot of miles.” He laughed. “I also set up sustainable communities and made sure they had clean sources of water. I’d probably still be out there if my back and legs weren’t acting up. It’s just a reminder that I’m not young anymore.”
So, this man was a genuine doctor. Better yet, he was a very experienced doctor as well. Calm flooded Jacob’s tired body. Jubilee was in good hands.
Doc Sam tilted Jubilee on her side. “Alright.” He pointed to the back of her arm. “This is where it has to come out. Hold on to her.”
Jacob gripped Jubilee as the doctor reached for a scalpel. “Thanks for this. Look, I have money, resources, whatever you want for this, I can give you.”
“Let’s get this arrow first and then we can talk about paying. Don’t be in such a hurry.” Doc Sam pointed the scalpel at Jubilee’s skin.
Jacob winced as the doctor made the incision. He never had witnessed a surgery, not even a small one. The cutting into the flesh sent tremors down to his toes.
“Easy there, Jacob. She needs you.”
Jacob realized his grip was slipping. He tightened his hold as Doc Sam performed his work.
Doc Sam did not rush the operation. Once the incision was made, he took forceps and reached into the cut to grab the arrowhead. He poked very gently. Jacob clenched his jaw. The fact that this scene was happening to his child made it so much worse.
Then the doctor pulled the forceps out, but so slowly that Jacob did not catch the movement until they were almost out. The forceps gripped a small blood-soaked piece of metal.
“So, here’s the culprit.” Doc Sam frowned as he stared at it. “Some moron was just popping off with these things, huh?” Then he set the forceps on a small metal tray before tending to Jubilee. Now the doctor began cleaning the teenager’s wound.
Jacob spotted his face through a small mirror on the doctor’s table. It looked a little green. He really had not taken this well, but it all was worth it to help Jubilee.
Doc Sam put the towels he used to clean Jubilee’s wound in a disposable plastic bag. “I’ve got antibiotics on hand. That will help prevent any infections.” Then he reached for a set of stitches behind him. “Time to close her up.”
In a few minutes, the doctor had sewed up Jubilee’s arm wound in front and the incision he had made in back. Throughout the surgical procedure, Jubilee had not made any loud noises. The sedative Doc Sam had given her kept her out for the entire operation.
“She’ll need a few days’ rest,” Doc Sam said as he gently laid Jubilee on her back. “We’ll also have to keep up her antibiotics for the next few days as well.”
Jacob let out an anguished breath as if he had been holding it in until he knew his daughter was on the road to recovery. “Thank you,” he said with nearly a sob.
Doc Sam stepped up to a sink. “Don’t sweat it.” He turned the knob. Water flowed through the faucet and washed the doctor’s hands. Jacob leaned in close.
“Wait, your water works?”
“My water works.” Doc Sam chuckled. “It’s a handmade pumping system I installed. It runs to my own personal well. It doesn’t work off the local water plant.” As he wiped his hands, he added, “One of the many things I did to get ready for what was coming.”
“Then you knew what was coming?” Jacob asked.
“I’d call it an inkling.” Doc Sam dried his hands.
“I’ve had a sense that the page of history was getting ready to turn. Couldn’t say exactly how, but I knew it. My daddy thought the Russians were going to do it, my granddaddy thought it was going to be the Nazis, and my great granddaddy thought a plague was going to get us.” He smiled. “I figured maybe Nature would spring a surprise on us.”
“A pretty nasty surprise,” Jacob said.
“And it’s only going to get worse from here.” Doc Sam looked Jacob in the eye. “You’re an interesting fellow. You’re not from Trapp. Where are you from?”
“A homestead near the Blue Ridge Mountains,” Jacob replied.
“I see. I figured you were a man who does some work with his hands.” He pointed at Jacob’s large biceps. “So, that’s what all that talk about resources was about? You farm the land?”
“Yes. And we have our own water supply.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. You weren’t kidding.” Doc Sam strolled past Jacob.
Jacob followed the doctor toward the door. “I can give you food, water. I even have some medicine…”
“We’ll discuss payment soon.” Doc Sam emerged into his living room. “I think you’ll find my rates are fair.” He chuckled. “And a little surprising.”
With his daughter successfully treated, Jacob took some time to look around the living room. The doc had installed two glass windows with blinds, one on each side of his front door. With the blind on the right window pulled back, he could see out to a street that ran close to the home.
However, it was sound, not sight that drew Jacob’s attention. “What the hell is that?” Jacob asked as he turned toward the glass pane.
Doc Sam looked through the window. “Got somebody in nice clothes arguing with Elliot Christensen. Oh, Elliot’s the owner of Frosters, hamburger place. It’s not far from here.”
Jacob looked over Doc Sam’s shoulder. Two men were approaching Doc Sam’s property. Instantly, he recognized one of the two men. “Son of a bitch. That’s Alex Cowell!”
“A friend of yours?” the doc asked.
“Hardly. He’s a social worker. He’s been harassing me for the past year. He thinks we’re depriving our kids of social interaction with others.” Jacob’s frown deepened. “Along with a bunch of other shit.”
“Really? Want me to shoot him for you?” Doc Sam deadpanned.
Jacob almost laughed. “No, I don’t think I want that.”
The doctor chuckled. “Don’t worry. If I wouldn’t shoot a lawyer, I don’t think I’d treat a social worker any worse. But Elliot’s worked up over something. Let’s go check it out before it gets bad.”
Jacob followed Doc Sam out of the house and across the front yard until the doctor stopped at the curb. Jacob turned to the right, in the direction from which Elliot and Cowell were approaching. Elliot, a good half a foot shorter than Cowell, was behind the social worker yelling at him along the way.
Jacob turned to his wife and son, who had remained in Doc Sam’s front yard while Jubilee was being treated. He nodded to Domino, who smiled and nodded back. She and Brandon remained where they were, as Jacob had hoped. He didn’t want those two in the immediate vicinity of the bickering pair, who by now were so close that Elliot’s words rattled Jacob’s eardrums.
Cowell, on the other hand, responded with his usual self-assuredness. “If you continue following me, you’ll likely spend the night in a jail cell.”
“Jail? Me? You arrogant son of a bitch! You’re the one who stole from me in the first place!” Elliot erupted, his already reddened round cheeks becoming more crimson from his fury.
“Elliot!” Doc Sam quickened his pace to catch up to the feuding pair. “What’s the story?”
“Sam!” Elliot shook his head. “You better watch this guy, or he’ll try stealing from you, too. This asshole ate half a plate of chicken and fries that I had prepared for Frances and his kids!”
“I left you twelve dollars,” Cowell said as she slowed down. “You could have kept the change. It’s more than you deserve after you refused to serve me anything.”