The Collapse Box Set, page 48
part #1 of The Collapse Series
With his elbow on the table and his hand on his forehead, Conner sat at the head. He sniffled, looking utterly miserable. Cathleen, whose face was paler than death and shiny with sweat, sat next to him with a plastic bucket in her lap. Her body trembled lightly. She had no reason to be out of bed. Dean lingered in the back of the room. He rested his shoulder on the door frame of the living room and folded his hands over his lap. His chromatic revolver grabbed the candlelight. He looked at Cathleen with deep concern.
Allen took a deep breath of disappointment. “The old man is a problem.”
His bluntness stunned them.
Conner leaned back, a heavy frown on his face. “He needs medicine.”
Allen locked eyes with him. “He needs to be quarantined or sent away. There’s no other option.”
Conner slammed his fist on the table and his eyes made daggers at Allen. “This is my father we’re talking about.”
Cathleen wobbled back and forth. “Don’t you… have medicine? Naomi said you did.”
Allen gave Naomi a sidelong glance she’d gotten uncomfortably familiar with before directing his attention to the sick woman. “No.”
Dean glared at him. “You built this whole place and forgot medicine? I find that hard to believe.”
Allen spoke clearly and objectively. “I never had time. The blast took me unexpected too.”
“I’m sure it did,” Conner mumbled.
Allen called him out. “You don’t believe me?”
Conner didn’t reply.
Allen looked out at them. “This old man is going to get us all sick if something is not done. If you don’t have a solution in twenty-four hours, I’m putting him outside.”
The Ryans protested. “You can’t do that!”
“He’s my father. What kind of sicko are you?”
“Just give him more time. He needs more time.”
Allen shut them up with a curt gesture. “I don’t care how you deal with it; I just want him dealt with.” Without turning back, he left the room.
Conner looked to Naomi, half-desperate and half-angry. “You’re the one who has his ear. Tell him to change his mind.”
“I want to help, but he has a point. The virus is spreading,” Naomi said with as much sympathy as she could.
Calvin chimed in. “We’ll find a way, but it might be best to drop Fergus off at one of the neighboring houses until he’s better.”
Cathleen shook her head in disbelief. “You’re just saying that because no one in your family is sick. If it were your daughter, would you send her away?”
Calvin went quiet. Under the table, Naomi squeezed Trinity’s hand. “Not in a million years, but unless if we get some antibiotics…”
Conner glared at her.
Naomi answered his unanswered question. “Sorry about Allen’s lack of provision. I honestly thought he could help.”
“Then we have to help ourselves,” Conner stated. He gestured at Dean. “Get the map.”
Dean unfolded the map that Allen had given him. There were a number of spots that were circled with Sharpie, with little doodles of squirrels and deer nearby. The crowd gathered around the map and began to look at the surrounding towns.
Cathleen wobbled as if she were seconds away from passing out. “We’re going to have to go all the way out there?”
“Get some rest,” Dean said. “We’ll care of this.”
“No,” Cathleen barked. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
That was the biggest lie Naomi had heard in a long time.
Conner looked up from the map. He sniffled. “You know the area better than anyone around here. Any suggestions?”
Naomi scanned over the area. She tapped her finger on a small town. “Madison. It’s only ten miles from here. They should have a pharmacy.”
Cathleen coughed up mucus and spit it in the bucket. “Is there any way of knowing what Fergus has? What I have?”
All eyes looked to Naomi. “I’m not that kind of doctor. We’re just going to get what we can and pray it works.”
42
Runner
With his assault weapon slung over his shoulder, Allen watched from the balcony as Naomi, Calvin, Conner, and Dean loaded into the Land Rover. After ten days without driving, it felt strange to be back in the vehicle that got them out of Philly. The paint was scraped away and chipped. Bullet holes peppered the fender. The window was cracked. Calvin adjusted his glasses, waited a few moments for the vehicle to heat up, and then reversed out of the gate. Trinity waved them goodbye from the snow-covered greenhouse.
They cruised down the winding dirt road. Leafless trees flanked them on both sides. The steel clouds leaked crumbs of snow across the earth and the Rover’s windshield. They pulled onto the main street, bombarded by the awe-inspiring sight of the Shenandoah Valley. Dressed in white, the mountain ridge stretched for as far as the eye could see. It was a place uncorrupted by the influences of man. A place where the EMP changed nothing. Naomi remembered her springtime hikes down the long dirt trails. She remembered the ways the bees danced and the wildflowers swayed in the wind.
Calvin stayed on Grave Mills road. Oceans of hilly farmland extended on all sides. Strong stallions gathered in the stable, protecting the young pressed up close to them. Spotted cattle gathered in and around their barn. Like old sign posts, a rare, ancient tree stood in the lawn of some old house. Another bent over a frozen pond.
Naomi held Calvin’s free hand as he steered. He gently caressed the top of her hand with his thumb. In the backseat, Conner rested his forehead against the window with his shotgun standing vertically between his legs. Dean rolled a .44 caliber bullet between his fingers. His noticed Naomi watching and stopped.
They left Grave Mills, population 110, and cut through Wolftown, another tiny town with serene farms and homely cottages. White smoke wisped out of a nearby chimney. A flutter of hope touched Naomi heart as light as a butterfly’s kiss. She gave Calvin’s hand a gentle squeeze. If not for the chilling wind, Naomi would’ve rolled down the window and let the breeze wash over her. Instead, she was hit by waves of the sporadic heater that gave off a dry, dusty odor.
The dreamy countryside soon fed into the town of Madison, Virginia. With long roads, distant buildings paralleling each other, and a grey sky ruling over the world, Madison seemed partially dreary. A random truck rested on the road; it seemed to be a casualty of the EMP.
Calvin slowed down, twisting his head to the right as he examined the ghost town. They rolled to a stop in front of a small pharmacy building: it was square and simple in design with a drive-thru window.
“I’ll stay with the car,” Dean said.
“No, I’ll stay,” Calvin replied. “You’re better on the field.”
Dean smirked. He pulled out a spare pistol and handed it up to Calvin, then smiled at him like sharks smile at prey. “Careful. It’s loaded.”
Calvin gently rested the gun on his lap. He saw that as a bad idea and put it on his dashboard console. Naomi leaned over and gave him a kiss. “We’ll be back in a minute.”
Grabbing his special 1981 Winchester Super X1 shotgun, Conner slipped out the back. He closed the door behind him, pulled out a handful of slugs from his pocket, and fed them into the weapon. Dean kept his large magnum holstered. Naomi went in unarmed. After spending nearly two weeks with these men, she trusted them enough to watch her back.
As a pack, they dashed across the sidewalk, scanning their flanks and seeing nothing but falling snow and empty streets.
The knob on the pharmacy door had been smashed off. Disheartened, they entered inside. They moved through the darkness. Rays of light streamed through the windows. Every shelf had been stripped bare, barring a few packets of candy and pretzels. Dean picked up the gummy worms and started to dig in. He offered some to Naomi. She accepted and scrunched her face at the sour taste.
Conner moved ahead. “Hello?” His voice echoed through the dark pharmacy.
The darkness grew denser the farther they moved in. Eventually, they reached the counter. The register had been smashed open. By the large circular-shaped dents, it looked like the work of a sledgehammer. The employee’s door was locked, so Dean rolled over the counter to reach the other side. Naomi and Conner simply crawled over. Naomi lit a tall candle she’d brought with her and let the fire’s glow illuminate all the empty shelves and cubbies.
Conner opened drawers and checked shelves. His movements became more jerky and quick the longer he looked. After a moment, he was pulling out entire shelves and slinging them to the ground. He cursed loudly and turned to Naomi. “There’s nothing here.”
Dean dispassionately kept checking drawers.
Naomi pinched the bridge of her nose. “Maybe we can ask some of the town’s folk.”
“Or we could drive to another town,” Conner said.
Naomi felt herself tense up. “We only have so much gas.”
“This is my father were talking about. And my sister-in-law. And my niece,” Conner said, face blood red with rage. “I’m not going back home without medicine.”
“I agree,” Naomi defended her stance. “We’ll check with the locals. Maybe they’d be willing to trade.”
“I’m not give up my gun either,” Conner said rebelliously.
Naomi’s mouth made a line on her face. She said nothing as she crossed over the counter. Conner and Dean followed after a moment. They headed down the street, telling Calvin to park behind the pharmacy. He did so and joined them, holding car keys and the handgun. They moved down Madison, knocking on every door they found.
No replies. The place was a ghost town.
It was three houses down when Dean decided to spontaneously kick in the front door. Naomi felt her blood pressure spike. “What are you doing?”
“Finding medicine,” he said casually as he stepped inside. Conner shrugged at Naomi’s dropped jaw and slipped inside.
Breaking into the rest stop felt like one thing, but this was someone’s home. Family photos lined the wall of a young couple with two little girls below the age of six. Naomi found toys on the living floor and the fridge door open.
“Whoever lived here left in a hurry,” Naomi pointed out.
Dean opened up the pantry. It had been ransacked. They checked behind the bathroom mirror and the cupboards near the stove but found no medicine
They left the house after Dean raided the sock and underwear drawer. Naomi did not partake in the loot. She couldn’t shake the inky feeling that she was committing a horrendous crime. The feeling only got worse as the Ryan brothers broke into three more houses. The people who lived there were all gone, seeming to have left in a hurry or have been ransacked by someone before. Every medicine cabinet was empty. Dean had a whole trash bag full of socks, underwear, and other clothing slung over his shoulder. Conner had joined them, though not as much. Dean took an occasional trinket and added it to his bag. They moved down the street, skipping over restaurants and wondering if they should just try another town. Naomi was half-ready to give up when Conner said, “Everyone, get cover.”
Naomi didn’t have time to question it. She ducked behind the nearest disabled car. Dean vanished behind the side of a house. Conner crouched next to a minivan parallel to Naomi. He kept his shotgun close to his chest with one hand on the pump and other on the trigger.
Someone whistled.
Naomi and Conner exchanged worried looks. He flipped off the safety on his shotgun.
Naomi craned her head around the side of the vehicle, getting a glimpse of the stranger. He wore a grey beanie, heavy black jacket, knuckle gloves, and old boots. Long red hair streamed out the sides of his beanie and around his pale face. He was short for a man, perhaps five foot six inches tall. His baggy clothes hid his skinny physique.
Walking down the yellow line of the road, he pushed a shopping cart full of gardening tools, hammers, food, and other random assortment of useful items. Sideways snow cascaded by him as he continued his leisurely stroll. From behind the nearby house, Dean kept his eyes locked on the unsuspecting man and started to draw out his revolver. The man would be passing by within the minute.
Naomi’s heart rate quickened. She didn’t want this to end with bloodshed, but she also didn’t want the man to run away. She needed to get the drop on him.
Naomi took a breath and began to rise.
Conner gawked at her. “Naomi. No,” he whispered.
She did so anyways. She stood up, hands in the air and her body still behind the cover the car. She stared at the man and he stared back. They stood completely still, not taking their eyes off each other. The man looked like frightened deer, ready to run off at any moment.
“Hi,” Naomi said slowly with a friendly smile.
The man’s eyes shot wide open.
“Where is everybody?” Naomi asked.
The man glanced around nervously. He swallowed hard, jostling his bulging Adam’s apple.
“I’m Naomi,” Naomi said gently. “Who are you?”
“Um, Lance,” the man mumbled. His lip twitched slightly.
“Good to meet you, Lance,” Naomi said. “Can you tell me where everyone went?”
Lance shook his head. “Everyone has left.”
“I can see that,” Naomi joked to lighten the mood. “Look, my friends are very sick. Do you know where I can get some medicine?”
Lance suddenly grinned ear to ear. “Yeah, what do you need?”
His sudden cooperation made Naomi uncomfortable.
Lance pushed the cart closer. Naomi forced herself to not look toward Conner and Dean. She wanted to keep their placement hidden. As the cart neared, Naomi kept her friendly, curious smile. She wanted to hide all fear. Something about this felt strange.
About ten feet from the cart, Lance stopped.
She froze and watched him reach into the cart. A toothy grin curved up his face. He winked and pulled out a sawed-off shotgun. Naomi’s heart dropped into her stomach as the man held the weapon waist high with the barrel pointed to her mid-section.
“Aw, scared?” Lance taunted with a mocking frown. Suddenly, he chuckled.
Naomi felt the world spinning. Just the idea of a gun this close petrified her.
Lance rolled his shoulders. “Hey boys! We got ourselves a fresh one!”
A half-dozen men stepped out from behind nearby buildings. They were armed to the teeth with hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols. Being this far south, it was not surprising everyone owned a gun.
Naomi wanted to see what her allies would do. She didn’t want to move in case that the sawed-off went off.
The men looked her up and down, pleased with what they saw. One of them said a joke too quiet for her to hear. The other men chuckled.
Lance flicked his shotgun to the side. “Come with us, sweetheart. It’s too cold out here for a pretty woman to be outside all by herself. We’ll warm you up, nice and good.”
Boom!
A thunderous gunshot echoed into the sky.
The six men scattered.
Boom! Boom!
Lance cursed and went scrambling for cover.
Naomi dropped prone and covered her head with her hands. She shut her eyes and listened as the gunfire zipped over her. If there was a time for prayers, this was it.
There was a scream, followed by mass confusion.
“How many are there?!” a stranger yelled.
“Fall back! Fall back!”
“Go! Go! Go!”
Footsteps and gunfire faded.
It was the longest forty seconds of Naomi’s life.
Shaking, she took her hands from her head and looked down the street.
Empty.
Quick steps neared her. Calvin squatted down next to her. “Naomi, are--look at me.”
Naomi turned to Calvin. His parted hair was disheveled and his glasses were off kilter. He held the pistol in one hand. Naomi hugged him. Conner and Dean rushed out of cover with their guns drawn. Conner fed more slugs into his shotgun. “Naomi, are you hurt?”
“I’m fine,” Naomi said breathlessly.
Dean paced around, keeping the revolver armed. “We can still catch them.”
Calvin helped Naomi to her feet. “That seems like a stupid idea. Let’s just get in the car and go.”
Conner coughed. “If we want that medicine, it may be our only chance.”
Dean nodded in agreement. “They won’t expect us to chase them.”
Calvin looked to Naomi.
She took a deep breath. “Let’s get these guys.”
Leaving the shopping cart behind, the four of them raced down the road. Dean led the charge. Unarmed, Naomi stayed in the back. They didn’t have a trail to follow, so they stuck close to the buildings and moved quickly. They rounded a corner, seeing the DMV office. The window blinds on the door waved a little as if recently disturbed. Naomi pointed ahead. “There.”
Hearts pounding, they moved up as a unit. Naomi wondered what the hell she was doing. Chasing after armed men, this was pure madness. Nevertheless, she pushed onward with no intention of looking back. Do I have a death wish? she asked herself and wondered what would happen if she got shot today. Who would take care of Trinity? Who would keep Allen in good temperament? Naomi felt sick. She needed to abort the mission and go back home. The mission was bound to fail. Worst of all, she was doing this for an old man who probably didn’t care.
They reached the door to the DMV. Calvin and Naomi crouched on one side. Dean and Conner went to the other. Dean made a number of quick hand signs that Naomi couldn’t comprehend. When he finished, Naomi took a deep breath. Everyone but Naomi took time to nod and ready their weapons.
Conner leaned in. “Don’t think about it. Rely on perception and instinct.”
After saying the words, Conner spun around, aimed the shotgun at the door, and pulled the trigger. Following the barrel’s fiery blast, the glass exploded into flurry of crystal shards. Conner dashed into the broken door, slamming it open with his body. Dean followed.
Then Calvin and Naomi trailed in last. They pushed into the entrance and rounded the corner to the waiting area. One of the seven thugs rested on a row of chairs. He clenched the bullet hole in his upper shoulder. Three other men were holding him down while the fourth was pressing a rag against the wound to stanch the bleeding.
