The Crash Box Set, page 12
part #1 of EMP Crash Series
“I promise,” Mack said.
“Okay, so, the thing is I've never really been good with change, and I kinda got used to the idea that it was going to be just the three of us for a while. But now there are all these people, and if we go to the city there are going to be more, and I just...I'm afraid that I'm going to be lost in the shuffle. I hate the idea of needing other people.”
“Is that because you're afraid they're going to leave you?”
“Yeah, I mean, I'm nothing special. I'm more of an inconvenience to you than anything else. I just...I don't want to get into a situation where I'm feeling like I'm dependent on other people when they just can cut me loose without a second thought. I know it's irrational but that's, well, you wanted me to be honest.”
“And I'm glad you have been,” Mack said, suddenly realizing Grace was a very vulnerable person who was going to need a lot of encouragement before she felt like she belonged in this new world.
“You have to realize, though, that I'm not going to leave anyone behind, not if I can help it. And you aren't an inconvenience at all. You were the one who knew something was up with Kathryn and her family, and you're the one out of all of us who knows the most about EMPs. If we ever do find some kind of working electronics, you're the one we're going to turn to. But, like I said before, you're my friend as well.
“I'm glad you've been around so I can talk to you about Anna and things like that. Truth is, you're the one who has kept me sane and focused. And just because there are other people around doesn't change that. But if it makes you feel better, I don't plan on staying here for long. We still have things to do.”
“To get back to your wife,” Grace said in a hollow voice.
“Yes, hopefully.”
“What will happen to me then?” Grace asked, sorrow plain in her eyes. Mack reached out and squeezed her arm tightly.
“There is a place for you in this world, Grace, you just have to stop fighting and let it happen. But I promise I won't abandon you. Now, do you want to come in?”
“I think I'm going to stay out here a while. It's nice and peaceful,” she said, turning back to the horizon.
“Okay, well, don't stay out too late. I think they're going to make us earn our keep here tomorrow.”
He patted her on the back and then turned to walk away. As he took a few steps away Grace called out to him and thanked him, which made him smile. He was glad he had been able to make a connection with her. Even though the EMP had separated him from his beloved, at least it had given Grace a second chance to make something of herself.
Meanwhile, Margaret and Luis had been talking in the sitting room, and as the night had continued, they too, slipped out. Margaret offered to show him her favorite place in the whole world, and who was Luis to resist an offer like that? The two of them walked out into the night and strolled around the farm. Conversation flowed easily between them, and Margaret seemed enchanted with everything that Luis had to say.
“You must have seen so many things on your travels,” Margaret said, eyes wide with a thirst to know everything about him.
“I don't know about that, I've just been going across the country, trying to find out more about myself and the world around me.”
“That's so romantic. You're like one of those old heroes that just went off into the sunset, never to return. I've been stuck on this farm all my life, and it doesn't look like I'll be going anywhere anytime soon. Dad made it very clear he needs all the help he can get.”
“I'm sure you'd soon start missing them if you did leave. It's nice that you're all so close.”
“If it's so bad, why aren't you with your family?”
“It's just...it's complicated.”
“Well that sounds like a story right there,” she said, trying to use her charm to get him to open up. Instead, Luis changed the subject and asked her where she was taking him.
“It's just a place I've been going to since I was little. It gives a good view of the area. I used to pretend there was a big kingdom out there filled with monsters and knights, and one day I'd be taken away and have to take my place as the princess.”
“And be rescued by a knight?” Luis said, cocking an eyebrow.
“Hell no! I'd be the one rescuing him,” Margaret replied, punching him lightly on the arm. They both laughed as they strolled along to the mystery destination.
“You know, I've never known a girl like you. They don't make them like you back home.”
“That's because there aren't any girls like me, but you hardly know me at all yet, Mr. Luis.”
“Then maybe I should get to know you better.”
“Maybe you should,” she said, and began to increase her pace, skipping in front of him. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything!” he called out, and by now they were running full tilt, laughter bursting from their lungs as quickly as the air they were breathing.
Margaret yelped as Luis almost got within reach and his hand brushed against her arm, but she twisted out and ran forward until she was captured against a tree. Their chests were heaving and as they looked in each other’s eyes they saw the stars reflected in them, and a whole new world was opened up to them. Their breathing slowed and grew deeper, and the rhythm of their hearts melted together.
“We're here,” Margaret said softly, and tilted her head up.
Luis' eyes followed and he saw a web of branches. Margaret grinned, and before Luis knew it, she had shinned up the tree and was climbing the branches expertly, cajoling Luis to follow her. Never had he climbed a tree before but he wasn't going to let that stop him, not when there was a beautiful girl waiting for him. After a few failed attempts he finally made it up the tree and clambered across the branches to join Margaret, who was sitting atop one of them, staring out over the horizon, much like Grace was doing at that very moment. Luis gasped in astonishment.
“It's beautiful,” he said.
“Yes, it is,” she replied, and smiled at him warmly.
He turned to look at her, and the two of them shimmied closer together so their dangling legs were touching. As their feet swung they occasionally brushed each other, causing a flush of emotion to rush through both of them.
“So Luis, you left your family behind. Did you leave a girl behind, too?”
Luis laughed. “One of the reasons I left was because I couldn't get a girl.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why? Why couldn't I get a girl?”
“Yeah, is there something wrong with you?”
“Uh, I don't think so. At least, I hope not,” Luis said, running his hand across his head, feeling slightly uncomfortable at this blunt line of questioning.
“Although, I guess there was something wrong with me from their point of view.”
“Why do you think it was so hard?”
“All the girls I knew seemed to want someone who could drive and had a job and direction in their life, but I never wanted to be some guy who just had a job. I wanted to do something I was passionate about, I just never really found out what that was. So I left and now I'm here.”
“Well, now nobody has a job, so maybe your prospects are looking better.”
“Maybe,” he said, “and what about you? Do you have a guy somewhere?”
“I've never had a boyfriend. I've never even been kissed...” she said, giving Luis a coy smile.
Right then and there Luis should have kissed her, with the moonlight shining in her eyes and her hair falling across her dimpled cheek. He so badly wanted to, but in all his life he had been treated by girls as though he didn't exist, and the only love he had known had been of the unrequited kind. Margaret looked at him with liquid eyes and the heat between them began rising. Luis could feel his heart thundering in his chest.
While he looked at her it was as though the world hadn't ended and he didn't have to think about survival or piles of dead bodies or being tied up in a chair for days on end. Luis bowed his head in shame, and his entire body began tremble due to his disappointment in himself for not kissing Margaret. In his mind he could see it happening, and he wanted to, but it was as though something had a hold of his body and was paralyzing him. Margaret's eyebrows creased in the middle. She reached out a hand and clasped his tightly.
“I'm sorry,” he choked.
He was about to push himself up and run away, just like he always had run away, when suddenly Margaret leaned forward and planted her soft lips upon him. She tasted of strawberries, and as she kissed him he felt her sweet breath rush over him. A small murmur escaped his lips as their adventurous tongues darted and danced with each other, and their arms began wrapping around each other, their two bodies getting closer and closer, drawn by a powerful attraction.
“Wow,” Luis remarked when they came up for air.
Margaret giggled and sighed with contentment as she nuzzled her head into the nape of Luis' neck. She ran a hand along the side of his face and Luis closed his eyes, letting himself slip into this rare moment of affection. He did not know how many more of these moments he would have to enjoy along the way.
“Luis, tell me about your family,” Margaret said softly, so softly that her words were almost lost in the still of the night.
“I... can't,” he said.
“Luis, you have to be able to talk about these things with people. I can tell it's weighing heavily on you. You can trust me, please. I just want to know you.”
Luis kissed her on the forehead and felt her warm body close to his. He realized this is what he had been craving for so long, and he shouldn't turn his back on intimacy now. There was more to affection than the mere physical aspect. It was also about sharing innermost thoughts and desires, and the things that haunted a mind.
“It's not really just my family, it's my whole town. I always felt like a freak there. I was into comics and movies and TV shows, but everyone else was into partying and sports. Especially my dad. He wanted me to become some sort of all-star athlete and I tried. I mean, I went to all the clubs he took me to when I was a kid. I tried out for basketball, football, soccer, baseball, cross country, you name it I tried it, but I'm just one of those people that isn't built for it.
“I much preferred to think about other worlds and get lost in them. And I accepted my place as the black sheep, for the most part. But my family thought it was going to be a phase that I would grow out of. They said all these things were a waste of time, and they weren't actually going to help me in the real world. I only ever had one real friend, and we just happened to share the same stuff. We hung out a lot and always had dreams of what our lives would have been like had we been in different company.
“The more the years went on, the more of a disappointment I became to my parents. They said I couldn't even be good at being a geek because I wasn't smart and didn't get great grades, and I just started hating myself. To make it worse, my friend was changing. Now he was smart, and he started charging the other kids for doing their homework. Soon he had money to splash around and the others took notice. He started getting invited to parties, and before I knew it, he had been absorbed into the other crowd. It was like being in the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers. And I was all alone.
“And later, when I graduated high school and I had no plans, my father kept saying I should have stuck with sports because at least I'd have something to fall back on. I worked at a few jobs, but none of them were going to lead to a career. Eventually, they said when I turned twenty-one they were going to throw me out of the house and send me on my way. I guess they figured if I had no other choice I'd find something to do with my life. So, just before I turned twenty-one I left on my own terms. I didn't even say goodbye, I just left a note. And now I know I'll probably never see them again and I should be sad. I should be determined to get back to them, but all my life they treated me like I was nothing and I just can't bring myself to care.”
Margaret listened intently and when Luis finished shaking she kissed him on the cheek and hugged him tightly. “I'm so sorry,” she said.
“This is nice,” Luis said after a while of the two of them holding each other, and of burying his face in her hair and drowning in her feminine scent.
“Your dad is going to hate me, though.”
Margaret laughed. “It's the end of the world. What's he going to do, ground me?” They kissed again, all warm and loving and deep.
“I'm more worried about what he's going to do to me rather than you. That shotgun didn't seem friendly.”
“Ah, Daddy is harmless, really. He just knows how to act scary.”
“I'll try to remember that. Listen, Margaret, I don’t want to ruin the mood or anything, but I just wanted to make it clear that I am with Mack and Grace, and we're not going to be staying here forever.”
“I know,” she said, and the smile faded from her lips.
“But it just means we have to make the most of the time when you are here,” she said, and kissed him again.
Their bodies pressed tightly together, long into the wee hours of the night. The stars watched over them, and even though the outlook for the world was bleak, the two of them managed to find some sliver of happiness and affection.
When they finally climbed down from the tree they walked back hand in hand, enjoying each other’s company. Luis couldn't believe his luck, and wondered if the apocalypse was such a bad thing, as he never would have met Margaret otherwise. But as they said goodbye for the night, and he slipped into his bed, he saw the shape of Grace in the darkness. From the first moment he'd seen her he had been attracted to her, even though he knew so little about her. She and Margaret were opposite in many ways; Grace was reticent and withdrawn while Margaret was outspoken and loud, but there was still something about Grace that made her linger in his mind. However, he had been through enough heartbreak to know it was a waste of energy to give himself to the wrong person. Margaret was wonderful, and he would have been a fool to turn her down.
Mack was still awake when he heard Luis slip into bed, and he allowed himself a secret smile as he thought of the young man sneaking off to spend time with the farmer's daughter. But he also knew he had to talk to Luis the following day about the etiquette of a gentleman before they landed themselves in a diplomatic situation. But Mack was pleased they had found this farm. It was an oasis compared to everything they had seen so far, and a powerful reminder that there were still decent people in the world and not everything had changed. Mack then allowed himself to sleep and prepared himself for the rigors of the following day.
Chapter 16
Earlier that night…
Despite it being nighttime there was still much activity on the farm. Mack was lying in bed, not able to sleep until Grace and Luis had returned to bed. Elaine was reading in her bedroom. Grace still was staring out at the night that lay before her, at the infinite universe that held within it all number of possibilities and wonders. Yet her mind was on different things as she tried dealing with all the difficult feelings that resided within her soul. Luis and Margaret were in the tree, enjoying each other’s company. That left only Willie and Luke, who were walking toward the large barn.
“What do you make of them?” Luke asked. Willie grunted.
“I don't know. They seem okay, but you never know in this day and age. We'll just let them stay for a while and then they can move on. Don't say anything to them.”
“They're going to find out, they're not idiots.”
“We just need to keep quiet about it. They're not going to ask questions about what they don't know. You know the agreement we made. They'll move on their way and things will go back to normal.”
“Do you think the thing about the bunker was true?”
“I'd be surprised if it wasn't. That's all the more reason why we have to keep this deal going. I don't want to end up like them.”
“That Mack guy seems pretty intelligent, though. If we told him, maybe he could help.”
Willie stopped walked and gripped his son's arm tightly. Even in the dim light of the night, Luke could see the panic on Willie's face. “Don't you dare say anything! You heard what Mack said. A military bunker was taken down. You think we'd stand a chance? I don't like this any more than you do, but I want to keep my farm, and if this is the price to pay, then so be it. We have to adapt to this new world. It's no different than paying taxes.”
“It is, and you know it. This isn't freedom,” Luke challenged. Willie stared at his son.
“I'm just trying to keep you all safe, and this is the only way I know how. You think I want to see the farm go up in flames? I've brought you in on this because you're going to be the man of the house if anything happens to me. I want to know I can count on you if anything happens.”
“Of course you can,” Luke said, but his eyes betrayed his words. Clearly, he was nervous and not convinced his father was doing the right thing, but there was little he could do about it. The two men walked to the barn and opened the huge doors.
“Help me get this stuff loaded,” Willie said.
The barn was positioned in such a way that the moonlight poured into the wide open doorway and illuminated what they were doing. They gathered up meat and vegetables they had gathered and put it all into a wheelbarrow. It was not an insubstantial amount of food, and represented a lot of labor for the small family.
“We could live off this for days,” Luke said, “it's not fair.”
“Life ain't fair, son. The sooner you realize that the better off you'll be. We've still got enough to keep us fed. Just work quickly. They'll be here soon.”
Luke remained quiet while they loaded the rest of the supplies, and Willie kept an eye out for anyone sneaking up on them. The last thing he wanted was for one of the strangers to begin poking their nose into their business.
“You know, I don't like the way Margaret was sniffing around Luis,” Luke said.
“She's nineteen, what do you expect? She's a smart girl, she won't do anything stupid.”
