The Blackout (24 page)

Molly had a million questions, but they were all jumbled up in this new information they thought would be more hopeful than it was.  “OK, well, let’s get to work,” Burt said. 

With that, their lives changed again, and yet somehow they stayed woefully the same. 

39.

Fifteen days after the lights came back on, Gary was achingly close to home.  He estimated only two or three more days left in the journey.  While they were trotting along through the woods on that fifteenth day, it occurred to him that Molly and he could have settled down anywhere.  They could have taken that job in Miami, and she could be living there now.  That would’ve added another two weeks or more to the trip. 
Holy crap I’m glad we didn’t take that job,
he thought. 
Or, I could’ve had a flight to the Bahamas that fateful day.  Then what would I have done, with sixty miles of deep blue sea between the two of us?
Considering all the ways this could have played out, what happened wasn’t the most ideal, but it wasn’t the worst-case scenario either, at least not yet. 

The days after the Restoration were much like the ones that preceded it, at least for Gary.  He heard whispers of total chaos in the beginning, and kept to the deep woods after that first night on the edge of Plymouth. 

He noticed the Wanderers were getting more bold and violent.  Just a few days after the Restoration, he was walking deep in the woods when he came upon a grisly scene that could only be blamed on Wanderers.  The poor couple’s bodies had been stripped and there was blood everywhere.  It looked like the woman’s head had been bashed in, and the man had been stabbed with something jagged.  The blood was making Thunderbolt nervous, so they didn’t linger.  Gary couldn’t decide if he was happy or sad that he’d come upon them after their demise.  He wasn’t sure there was anything he could’ve done for them. 

And who’s to say they wouldn’t have taken me for all I was worth once the danger to them was passed? 
It wasn’t the most idealistic way to think, but it was keeping him alive for the time being.  That night, they walked further than normal, trying to put as much distance as possible between them and the unfortunate couple. 

They did fairly well staying away from people when they didn’t want to be seen, and after about a week, he ventured a little closer to a town he was passing by to try and get an update on the situation.  It seemed like things had quieted down, but normal operations were far from being restored.  At best, the lights were on; at worst, transportation services, phone services and things of that nature were a long way from being useful.  So, the lights were on, but people felt like it’d been false hope because no additional improvements followed. 

The anger in the area was down to a simmer, but Gary felt like he was in a pressure cooker.  Before long, he worried it would explode.  The pair continued on their steady trot home, and Gary prayed they would make it before that happened. 

40.

It had been eighteen days since The Restoration.  Jimmy had not come back.  Molly couldn’t ignore the fact that her dear friend was probably dead, although she would never know for sure. 

About a week after Burt’s announcement, Molly held a memorial for him.  Not many people came, which didn’t surprise her.  He’d kept a pretty low profile in the town, and stayed standoffish with most people.  Burt came and said a few words, and all the Watchers who weren’t working came, but they stayed quiet.

She’d spent some time sitting in his house, hoping he would come back.  After about a week of doing that after school, she finally took his radio over to her house.  She knew he’d want her to have it.  He was always looking out for her.

At home, listening to the loop feed, she gave in to the despondency.  Her rock was gone.  Gary wasn’t there.  How was she supposed to go on? 

Beth did what she could to comfort her, but death is always difficult to understand for an outsider.

The town struggled to get back to “normal” without him.  The Watch suffered from disorganization at a critical time.  They’d had two near-breeches of the wall since Jimmy’s disappearance, but each time they’d learned from their mistakes. 

Burt tried to stay busy, moving from task to task with little emotion spent on any one thing. 

They had lights intermittently, they could take showers in their homes, and even had hot water some of the time – that was Molly’s favorite luxury.  She’d gotten used to using candles, but the sheer extravagance of a hot, indoor shower was amazing.  The first time, just after the Restoration, she stood there for a half hour just marveling at how good it felt, and trying to wash away some of the things that had happened in the last three months. 

But, nearly a month after the power had returned, they finally settled back into a routine.  The kids were back in school at Molly’s house, and the patrol was back to its normal operations. They even elected a new leader who seemed to be doing a fair job.  Really, everything was back to the way it was during the Blackout, they just had lights and hot water. 

A few days before, the broadcast had been updated, but it wasn’t great news. 

My Fellow Americans,

It’s been fifteen days since the Restoration, and we’re saddened to say many have not heeded our requests to stay calm and continue your normal operations.  It would seem chaos has reigned in many areas around the country.  The military has been able to organize a small force around the capital to protect what’s left of the government there and maintain a certain amount of order.  However, at this point in time, there are not enough resources to help you all.  Therefore, you must help yourselves.  Return your towns to civilization promptly. 

Reports of brownouts and blackouts continue to filter in.  The grid is far from stable, but be encouraged by the fact that every day improvements are made. 

Questions are circulating regarding the restoration of transportation and communication services.  Unfortunately there is no word on when help in those areas may come. 

For now, that is all.  Good night.

It was really nothing they didn’t already know.  It took fifteen days for them to regurgitate information that was already old news.  Nothing had changed when it came to the government. 

So, by the time day eighteen rolled around, Molly had worked hard to settle back into her routines and not think about Gary or Jimmy.  Because transportation systems weren’t up and running, she told herself it was no surprise Gary hadn’t made it home yet.  And just because the lights were back on, he still had no way of calling or getting in touch at all.  Just because there was nothing but silence for 121 days, didn’t mean he was never coming home.  Just because Jimmy didn’t, didn’t mean Gary wouldn’t.

It was cold comfort at night when the only warm body she shared the bed with was Dug, who slept by her feet. 

That day, they were studying
Pride and Prejudice
, by one of the girls’ request.  Molly promised the boys they could pick the next one, and it sounded like it would be
Dracula
.  She was certain the girls would love that about as much as the boys loved
Pride and Prejudice
, but it gave them all something to look forward to, and she liked that they were staying involved. 

“So, do you think if someone were to write a story like this today it would still be relevant?  Do you think it would be as timeless as Austen’s story?” Molly asked. 

“No,” one of the boys immediately chimed in. 

“Why not, Stuart?”  He was a short, freckled brunet boy about fourteen years old – a little young for the subject matter, but mature for his age, so she thought he could handle it.  He was also one of the boys spearheading the Dracula campaign.

“Because it doesn’t work like that anymore.  Families aren’t indebted to each other like that, for one thing.  And daughters aren’t as much of a burden either.  The things they struggled with are different than the things families struggle with today.”

“OK, that’s a valid point.  So, what would a modern-day Elizabeth and Darcy struggle with?”

Samantha, an eager blonde-headed girl about sixteen, raised her hand.  “Elizabeth in her time wasn’t very accomplished.  I think a modern day
Pride and Prejudice
Elizabeth would have the opposite problem.  She would still struggle with pride, she would just have more material things to be proud of.  Today’s woman is very successful and some men feel threatened by that, and are even prejudiced against feminists.  I think that’s where their struggles would be.  Darcy wouldn’t be prejudiced against her station as a poor person, he’d be prejudiced against her station as a high-powered executive and the stigma that goes along with that.”

It was very insightful for a sixteen-year-old.  Molly wondered what would become of her in this new world.  “So, post-Blackout and Restoration, where do you think Elizabeth and Darcy fit in?” 

No one answered.  They all seemed unsure, and a few of them were frowning.  Others were picking at the grass.  Molly had asked a question they weren’t sure they wanted to hear the answer to.  “This is where relevancy becomes an issue, I think.  Today’s couple, and family for that matter, is focused on survival.  They’re not caught up in issues of pride and prejudice.  They’re worried about how to feed themselves, how to keep warm, and how to stay alive until tomorrow.”  They were silent.  It wasn’t a subject they liked to dwell on.  She smiled in an effort to comfort them.  “But I don’t think it will always be this way.  A civilization can’t sustain itself in survival mode forever.  It will either adapt, or destroy itself.  As we’ve continued to adapt throughout the ages, I think we will follow suit here, and Austen’s work will become relevant again, if not slightly out of date.”

A few of them smiled, feeling encouraged.  “Mrs. Bonham?”  Niles, a quiet boy in the back called out. 

“Yes?”

“When do you think we will adapt?” 

Molly frowned.  “I don’t know.  It’s easy to look back on history and see a dark time as a single page in a book, isn’t it?  But for the ones living it, that could have been years of their life summed up in a single paragraph.  All I know for certain is that it can’t stay like this forever, and within your lifetime it will get better if you set your minds to it.”

A few heads nodded, and she watched their wheels start turning.  “OK, that’s probably enough for right now.  Let’s take a break, and then we’ll do a bit of science.”

There was a low
yesss
that they apparently thought was in an octave Molly couldn’t hear.  She smiled as she turned back towards the house.  That’s when she saw Burt standing on the back porch.

“Molly.  Something’s happened.” 

41.

Seventeen days after the Restoration, Gary closed in on his hometown.  He came to a small clearing in the woods and discovered a man lying on his stomach motionless.  He considered moving on, but then wondered what would’ve happened to him if Judd had done the same.  He was close enough to home now he may be able to help, if the man was still alive.

He climbed down from Thunderbolt’s back and approached the man quietly, the knife Judd had given him at the ready. 

“Hey.”  He said as he knelt beside him.  There was no response.  He grabbed the man’s shoulder over his dark brown coat.  “Hey.  You alright?”  Nothing.  He pulled his collar down a little to feel for a pulse.  As soon as he touched the cold skin, he knew he would find nothing.  He did feel something bumpy and equally cold.  A chain. 

He rolled the man over and was startled by his expression.  His skin was a sickly yellow color, and he had a dark beard.  He was middle aged, maybe in his late fifties or early sixties.  His eyes were what bothered Gary the most.  They seemed familiar as they stared blankly at Gary. 

He reached into the man’s collar to see if he could free the chain.  Dog tags. 
Let’s find out who you are.

JEAN JAMES M

SSN 314-58-9045

O-

Gary’s heart sunk. 
Jimmy.
  He collapsed back staring at the tags in his hand.  He looked from the tags to Jimmy. 
There must be some mistake.  What was he doing out here? 
He put his head in his hands and cried, pressing Jimmy’s tags into his forehead. 
How could this happen? 

He wasn’t sure how long he let himself mourn.  Eventually he dragged the back of his arm across his face, and resolved himself to the task at hand.  He couldn’t just leave him like that.  He set about burying Jimmy with what little resources he had.  He didn’t have a shovel or anything to dig with, so he resolved to collect rocks, pine needles and branches to cover him.  It took the rest of the day, and he was exhausted when it was done.  But, this man – the first person Gary had come into contact with from his past in nearly four months – was laid to rest.

That night, Gary laid down next to him and slept like the dead company he kept.

The next day, he reached the outer limits of his hometown.  As he approached, a wall rose up from the horizon. 

He frowned. 
This could be problematic.
 

He referenced the map and surroundings.  Everything was wilder than it was when he was there last, but he knew he was in the right place. 
They must’ve put the wall up after the Blackout.
He tried not to think too hard about what might have prompted its construction.

As he got closer, he opted to go to the road, thinking that’s where the gate might be.  He also didn’t want to look like he was being sneaky.  He could see movement at the top of the wall, and could only assume they had a patrol set up – most likely to keep Wanderers like him on the right side of the wall.  He felt confident though that if he made himself known, he could explain who he was. 

Heck, maybe I’d even be recognized.
  He hoped.  He and Molly weren’t overly involved in neighborhood activities, especially him since he was home so intermittently, but maybe he’d get lucky.  Maybe Molly would be one of the ones patrolling the wall.  The adrenaline rush from the prospect of seeing Molly for the first time in 121 days gave him strength.