The Crash Box Set, page 10
part #1 of EMP Crash Series
They moved past the pile of dead bodies and a hush came over them. There were hundreds of flies buzzing around and it was sad to see how so many lives were now nothing but rotting flesh. The smell was almost unbearable. They were glad to leave the bunker behind, hopefully for new and more promising pastures where they wouldn't have to be reminded that death was all around them.
The bunker had been a false dawn, cast into a gloomy shadow by a group of people who were still out there. These three brave souls were venturing into the unknown of the forest, trying to move forward with their lives because that was the only way to live.
Chapter 13
Although Grace had struggled with her physical condition after the plane crash, the days of walking non-stop already had improved her stamina and now she was able to keep pace with Mack and Luis. The three of them mostly walked in a line and they occasionally talked, although for a lot of the time they enjoyed a companionable silence. Mack continued observing the world around him, eyes searching every nook and cranny for anything of use, and Grace, in turn, observed him, trying to learn from his experience and expertise. Luis was the one who most often spoke. Mack put his need for noise down as a product of having spent so much time alone recently. So he let Luis ramble on and offered a few murmurs that passed as conversation.
“So, I know everything has been fried, but what about, like, really old cars? Like, the kind you see in all those really old movies? And maybe even steam engines? Would they still work?” Luis asked. It was a good question, as they hadn't really talked much about transportation yet.
“I imagine so, if you could find one. But do you know how to drive a train?” Mack asked.
Luis shrugged. “I've seen Back to the Future Part III, you just pull a lever now and then and shove coal into the furnace. It can't be that difficult,” he replied.
“If we ever come across one I'm going to make you put your money where your mouth is,” Grace said. Then she chuckled to herself before adding, “I guess that expression is going to lose its meaning sooner or later.”
“As for your question,” Mack said, “I'm guessing that if anyone does have such a car they're going to be very protective of it, so good luck taking it from them. Even then, you're still going to need gas eventually. And unless you want to spend all that time siphoning it from other vehicles you're going to be out of luck. Pretty much all of the pumps use electricity. Most of the transportation we know and love isn’t going to be useful anymore.”
“I really wish I'd brought my bike with me,” Luis said mournfully.
“Can either of you ride horses?” Mack asked.
They both shook their heads. “You're going to have to change your way of thinking. We're going back to a time like the Wild West. Horses, wagons, all that kind of thing.”
“Shame I don't see any horses around,” Luis said.
“I don't see much of anything around,” Grace added.
Mack didn't say anything, but he was worried about the seeming lack of wildlife in the forest. When they first had crashed he assumed they would be able to find some source of food. Yet the forest seemed devoid of any great beasts. But perhaps they just had not spent long enough looking. Mack had the map out and kept track of where they were going. While doing so he talked them through his methods of keeping everything in his line of sight, and using landmarks in the surrounding area to measure his distance and make sure he was keeping on the right path. They walked all through the morning and stopped in a clearing for lunch. So far there hadn't been any sign of any other person, and Mack didn't know if he should be relieved or worried by that.
The three of them tentatively nibbled at their rations and sipped their water, ignoring their bodies' cries for more, more, more. They quickly had become used to the nagging ache in their stomachs. Mack moved off, and the other two watched him with curiosity as he picked up sticks then flung them down, none of them seeming to satisfy him. Eventually, Luis piped up and asked him why he was looking at so many sticks.
“I'm trying to find the right one,” Mack said.
“What's wrong with all these?” Luis replied, kicking the sticks lightly.
Mack leaned down and picked up one, then thrashed it against the ground. The wood splintered and cracked, and the stick was proven useless. Luis jumped back at the emphatic gesture.
“The wood is rotten and weakened. We need a thick, sturdy branch to make a good spear or staff. The last thing you want in a fight is your weapon breaking on you,” Mack said. Luis picked up the rest of the sticks and tested them one by one, amazed at how Mack could tell they were useless just by a glance.
“How did you get to know this stuff?” he asked in astonishment.
Mack shrugged. “I read a lot, plus we had a lot of training camps for this stuff, and my father used to take me camping when I was younger.”
“Oh, so you've just always been a natural at this,” Luis said, rolling his eyes in the direction of Grace, who giggled.
“Actually, I used to hate it. All I wanted to do when I was camping was get back home and play video games with my friends, but my father always insisted on having his bonding time with me. So one weekend every month he would take me away from everything I knew and teach me how to set up a tent, how to fish, how to hunt, how to find my bearings using the stars. At the time I hated it but now, well, if he was here he'd probably say 'I told you so.'”
“Wait, you used to play video games?” Luis said.
“Oh yeah, I used to be down at the arcades all the time. I was the local champ at Donkey Kong. It was a good way to develop reflexes.”
“I used to love them when I was a kid! Although I never really went to arcades, just played at home on consoles. Super Mario 3 was my favorite. My life changed when I found out about the whistles and the secret levels.”
Mack smirked as he thought about long-forgotten childhood memories. “What about you, Grace, did you game much?”
“No, actually, I didn't,” she replied. Both men looked at her with confusion.
“Isn't your whole thing computers? How could you not game?” Luis asked.
Grace shrugged. “Just never got around to it, I guess. They were more of a tool for me to work with.”
“My father would have liked you. He was always about work. Always said that time was too precious to waste on things that didn't matter and if you weren't being productive then you didn't have a right to be on the planet.”
“That sounds harsh, but all I can say is thanks to your father. I think we'd be a little lost without you here,” Luis said.
“You managed to survive alright before we came along,” Mack said, furrowing his brow.
“Yeah, apart from falling into the trap of some crazy people. Thing is, when I went backpacking I knew I was just a cell phone call away from safety. Or I could just get to the nearest town and get on Wi-Fi. Even when I was alone I wasn't really alone. The whole world was out there waiting for me, but out here, right now, we're screwed if anything happens to us.”
“So you don't like feeling alone?”
“It's not that. I mean, when I first left I liked it. I came from a big family and it was always hard to get time to myself, but when I was away from them, I don't know, I kinda missed it. There was a lot of beauty in the world, and sometimes I wished I had someone to share it with.”
“And now you have us,” Mack said, grinning widely. Luis raised his eyebrows.
Mack walked back to where Grace was sitting and took another sip of water, then put his lunch away and slung the pack over his shoulder. “We'd better get moving soon, we don't want to spend all our time sitting around doing nothing.”
Grace and Luis reluctantly prepared to leave and soon the group were on their way again. Mack didn't seem to show any sign of fatigue and this spurred on Grace and Luis. They didn't want to show weakness in front of Mack, and Luis didn't want to show weakness in front of Grace, either.
The scenery was mostly the same as they walked along, and they enjoyed breathing in the fresh fragrance of summer after being stuck in the bunker. In the distance they could hear birds chirping, and occasionally they heard the rustling of leaves. Yet they still had not seen a wild animal and Mack was beginning to wonder if they all had banded together to hide from humans. The trees were less dense in this particular area, so they spread out a little. Mack told them to watch out for any activity as they were getting closer to the buildings they were heading toward.
While they were walking, Mack continually glanced at the other two to make sure they were holding up alright. Luis seemed okay, even though he seemed prone to the odd daydream, but Grace was another matter. At first glance she seemed focused and determined to take notice of the things around her, but the more Mack looked the more he saw her hands actually were shaking. It wasn't very visible, but her fingers were tapping against her sides and she was wringing them together as though she was aware that what she was doing was unnatural.
“Are you okay?” Mack said in a low voice as he moved toward Grace. She looked up at him, surprised as she had been thinking of something else. Her eyes darted away from Mack.
“I'm fine,” she said. Mack continued to look at her disbelievingly, and she felt the weight of his gaze upon her.
“Okay, so I'm not so fine. It's just...being back in that bunker reminded me of my old life. Surrounded by computers, my hands resting on the keyboard, it felt right. I guess I just miss it is all.”
“So you're still feeling a little disconnected?”
“A little bit. And I'm sorry if I'm too quiet sometimes. It's been a while since I've had this much human contact without a break.”
“It's okay. If you need to be quiet for a while just let me know. Can I ask you a question though?”
“Sure.”
“What made you do what you did?”
Grace was about to say something when Luis came over, not wanting to be left out of their conversation. As soon as he did she clammed up and Mack stepped back. Luis took the signal and fell back into the line, and the three of them continued in silence. None of them knew what was waiting for them and the closer they got to their destination the faster their hearts beat. Fear seized them; not just fear of the unknown, but also the fear of hope. It was almost too dangerous to open up their hearts to taste hope in case it was dashed again. There was only so much disappointment any person could take. If this plan didn't go as they hoped they would have to be on the run again, when all they really wanted was a respite from the sadness and misery.
Mack slowed and held up his hand, then pointed with two fingers to the right. Beyond the trees they could see bits of a building, corresponding to the location on Mack's map. The three of them huddled together and moved slowly as they approached the farm from the rear. The house was large, and near to it was a barn. There didn't seem to be any signs of life as yet. They walked to the back of the house and stood with their backs to it. Mack felt the comforting weight of the pistol pressing into the small of his back. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to use it, but he was glad it was there, just in case.
“Stay near the door. If anything happens, run in that direction and make your way to the river. We'll rendezvous there,” he said. The mere thought of them having to separate made Grace's heart thud.
“What happened to your faith in humanity?” she said, trying to make a joke to lighten the mood and take her mind off her anxiety, although it didn't really work.
“I'm just trying to be cautious. We still don't know where the people who attacked the bunker are based. For all we know they could be here. I doubt it, but there's no harm in being careful,” he said, and then moved around the side of the house.
As they came around the corner the front of the farm opened up to them and they saw a wide pasture. There was a huge field of crops to one side, and another building to the right of them. There was also the sound of chickens clucking, although a chicken coop was not in their sights yet. A wide smile broke out upon Mack's face, for he had found one of the little pockets of humanity left.
“Stay back and get ready to run, just in case,” he said as he prepared to knock on the door, but just as he rounded the corner he heard the click of a shotgun, and his heart leaped into his throat.
Chapter 14
Mack stood at the corner of the house and held up his hands immediately. A burly man stood on the porch. He was a tall man, and the fact that he was standing on the porch made him look even taller. His hair was wild, but his beard was thick and neat, coming down to rest upon the top of his chest. He wore a plaid shirt with brown suspenders. The shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, revealing thick, hairy arms. His jeans were stained, as were his shoes, and Mack knew him to be a hardworking man. Luis and Grace came out and cowered behind Mack, scared that they were being held at gunpoint once again, and the shotgun was a more terrifying proposition than the pistol.
Mack made some quick calculations in his head. Even if he was able to duck down quickly enough to avoid the first blast and draw his pistol, Grace and Luis wouldn't be able to react as quickly and any move he made would hurt them. Speaking slowly, keeping his tone nice and calm, he smiled at the man and said hello.
“Stop right there, get to where I can see you properly,” the man said, frowning as he wasn't sure what to make of Mack's reaction.
The group shuffled to the right so they were standing in the open. Grace and Luis had rounded shoulders and their arms were shaking as their held them up, mimicking Mack, while Mack looked relaxed. Well, as relaxed as one can be while having a gun pointed straight at one’s head.
“What are you doing snooping around here?” the man growled.
“We just were being cautious. We've had some bad experiences with strangers before and we wanted to see if anyone was around. We're just looking for some shelter and hospitality. I apologize if we gave you the wrong impression. We don't want any trouble. You can search us, if it'll set your mind at ease.”
He maintained eye contact with the man and tilted his head to the right. This was an old trick he had learned in the first week he had started his job. By tilting his head to the right he exposed his neck, and the carotid artery that lay underneath the skin, which showed vulnerability. As if on cue, the man holding the shotgun relaxed a little; his shoulders dropped and his finger was pulled back from the trigger.
Behind him, Mack was aware of Grace and Luis' heavy breathing. He wished he could turn to them and reassure them, but he knew his movements had to be made carefully. His first impression of the farmer was the man didn’t want to shoot people, he just was wary. Mack wondered if he had come across anyone else and had had bad experiences, as the three of them had.
“Just a sign of the times, unfortunately,” the man said.
On the porch behind him was a rocking chair and a bench. A potted plant stood at the corner of the porch as well. The door behind the man was closed, and so far, nobody else had presented themselves. Yet the farm seemed too big for just one man to occupy. Mack looked past the man, trying to see into the windows, but from the angle at which he was standing it was impossible. However, he was sure whoever this man was he was not associated with the group that had attacked the bunker as they had been from a small force.
“We've all got people to protect. Look, I'm Mack, this is Grace, and that's Luis. What's your name?”
The man chewed his bottom lip for a moment as he considered whether to answer, but it didn't take him long to disclose his name. “I'm Willie,” he said.
“It's nice to meet you, Willie. We've been walking around for a while, trying to figure out what to do next. We're just looking for some shelter and hospitality. We'd be willing to help out on the farm as payment, looks like you've got a good bit of land to work on. If you'd put down the gun I'd love to talk things over with you,” Mack said.
Willie stared at him for some long, dragged out moments, but Mack breathed a sigh of relief when he pointed the shotgun at the floor. Mack raised his eyebrows and wiggled his fingers at Willie, and the burly man nodded. Mack let his arms drop by his side, and the other two followed suit.
“I'm not really the manual labor type,” Grace said in a low, warning tone, but Mack merely smiled.
“Take my warning, though. If there's any trouble I won't hesitate to shoot. I might live on a farm but I ain't simple.”
“We'd be grateful for any help you can give us,” Mack said, still smiling.
Willie ambled down the steps of the porch and held the shotgun under his arm as he walked up to the group. He smelled of sweat and earth, and his face had the ruddy complexion of a man who worked hard.
“So, you people ever worked on a farm before?” Willie said, eyeing them one by one. He also walked around them and tugged at their packs.
“Not really. I used to be in the army, though. So I'm no stranger to hard work. We're willing to help you out with whatever you need if you'll give us shelter and food.”
“What have you got in these packs?” Willie asked, squinting as the sun moved across the horizon.
“Just the usual things. Some food, a little water, other supplies that we picked up throughout our travels.”
“You been out here long?”
“Me and Grace were in a plane that crashed a few miles away. You might have seen it through the sky. We picked up Luis after running into some people who weren't so nice, so you can understand why we wanted to be careful. Funny enough, we were trying to be quiet so we'd avoid having a gun pointed at our heads again,” Mack said, chuckling a little. He was pleased when he saw Willie's mouth curl up into a wry smile.
“Well, I'm sorry about that, but you never can be too careful. You have to be careful when there's no law anymore.”
