End of the Line (4 page)

             
“Sure,” he said.  “People are good.”

             
“What Jim means,” I said. “Is gay people, black people, fat people, maybe people who aren’t that nice?” I thought of Princess on the last one.

             
“As long as they ain’t zombies, everything is cool. I ain’t gay or black, no offense to anyone who is. I need to survive, that’s all.”

             
“What were you doing before you came here?”

             
“Living in a house, but I ran out of food.”

             
“Why did you come here, why not get more food?” Eli asked. “Supermarkets still have food. There are canned goods in empty houses everywhere.” I didn’t know why Eli was being so hard on the kid. He knew mechanics and he seemed okay.

             
“Yeah—but well I’m also lonely, you know, not like the sex thing, but other people and I didn’t wanna keep going out for food. I wanna to be safe. I’ll work hard and do anything.”

             
“No place is safe. We work at least six days a week,” I explained. “No excuses, unless you’re sick. We all share in sentry duty, moving, building, and farming—“

             
“Inside the store?”

             
“Some planters in the store and we have a rooftop garden. There’s a lady here who used to work on a farm.”

             
“I don’t mind. I’ll do about anything to get in.”

             
I looked at Jim. He passed out papers to each of us. I voted yes, the kid looked tired, desperate and still very young. We wrote our vote and gave it back to Jim. He looked through it, and then nodded at me.

             
“Welcome, Henry.”

             
Henry’s eyes lit up.

             
“Oh my god, you mean it. I’ll work hard, promise. I’ll make a great c
ar. I’ll even try to armor it.”

             
“Good, Robert why don’t you hand him off to Maddie, then come back. We’ll take five.” I watched Robert take Henry out of the room.

             
“
That poor kid,” Ashley said.  “All alone on his own.”

             
“I hope he can fix a car,” Eli said. “A son of a mechanic does not make him one.”

             
“And a nurse isn’t a doctor.”
             
Eli didn’t respond right away. Jim didn’t usually tell how people voted but I think it was three to one.

             
“We can’t let every poor kid in,” Eli said.

             
Eli was a plumber from Oceanside, born and bred Republican, raised in a strict household, was strict with his wife and kids and tried to be strict with us. I put him on the council because he could make the hard decisions. He could tell me things I didn’t want to hear but should. His stubbornness sometimes got in the way
of making the right decision.
             

             
“If humankind survives,” I said.  “We’re gonna need the kids.”

             
Eli didn’t get a chance to respond when Robert came back in.

             
“Maddie’s got him.”

             
“Thank you, Robert, can you ask for the next person?”

             
He let a woman in, who was in her sixties. I already knew she wouldn’t be accepted. We decided, god forgive us, to refuse anyone over 50 unless they were a doctor or sharpshooter. We needed people who were strong and could work.

             
“Hello,” I said and gave the same spiel as with Henry. 

             
“The name's Dorothy, just call me Dot,” she said and gave a long cough and spit on the floor, not a good first impression
. She smelled like cigarettes.
             

             
“What can you do for us, Dorothy?”

             
“I raised three children. I can cook, clean—“ she stopped when she looked directly at me. “You don’t want me?”

             
“Sorry,” I said. No one said anything to defend her.

             
“I’ll level with you—before we were overrun, I was getting treated for the cancer. I didn’t finish treatment, I don’t know if it’s gone but I expect not. The thing is that I don’t want to die out there like that or become one of them. Put me in a corner with a bed with a little food and smokes and I’ll do what I can.”

             
“Let’s vote on it,” I said. I knew she was scamming.  I wasn’t about to let someone who smoked in here. Jim handed out the paper and I wrote no. I don’t expect anyone voted yes. I handed them t
o Jim who looked through them.
             

             
“Sorry,” he said.

             
“You guys are asswipes,” she said.

             
“Robert, why don’t you get Dorothy a box of smokes and food
?
”
He nodded and left.

             
“No hard feelings,” I said. Dot snorted a response. “You can stay i
n the repair shop if you want.”

             
“
Fuck you and your repair shop.”

             
I was glad when Robert came back with a canvas bag stuffed with cigarettes and a couple of cans. We kept care packages by the door that we gave to the people in the garage. Robert gave them to Dot and escorted her out. She spit on the ground before she left.

             
“Think she was lying?” Ashley said.

             
“Probably,” I replied. I wasn’t angry at her for trying to survive. “Robert, let the next one in.” This was going to be a long morning. 

             
Robert let in a young woman, black, in her early twenties with very short hair that looked shaved and was uneven in different places. She looked like she had an attitude. This could be a problem. She didn’t resist the pat down and the bag search but didn’t seem happy about it. She was armed with a handgun, a knife, a crowbar, and a knapsack full of loose bullets. I started giving her the spiel when she interrupted.

             
“I’m a survivor,” she said, her voice rapid. “I know guns and shit, and I kill them, a lot of them. Cost me my best baseball bat. Yes, I’m a total bitch, I don’t really care, but besides the attitude I won’t make trouble,” she paused. “I need a break, some sleep, anything for a while and I’ll help wherever you need it. I’m not afraid of hard work. Except for sex, I’m not a whore—“

             
I interrupted. “Crimes against any member of the group mean expulsion.”

             
“I won’t hurt nobody unless they touch me.”

             
“You didn’t tell me your name,” I said, looking into her brown eyes. She did have an attitude problem, but I believed her sincerity. I think she could be tough enough to keep this place on its feet.

             
“Tanya.”

             
“Tanya, attitude isn’t a problem, but work ethic is. We all do our part. Can you cooperate?”

             
“Long as it’s fair.”

             
I looked at Jim. “Let’s take a vote.”

             
He passed the paper out. I wrote my vote then handed to
him. He looked it over. “Tie.”
             
No one said anything. My decision completely. This wom
an looked like possible trouble
but I can see a sort of desperation and s
trengths in those brown eyes. 

             
“Welcome,” I said.

             
“Oh come on,” Eli said. “Fucking look at her, she’s a hoodlum.”

             
“I ain’t one now,” she said.

             
“Eli,” I said. “We agreed that I would break a tie. Tanya’s survived and she can take care of herself.”

             
“Besides,” she said. “I ain’t gonna steal your shit. I stole shit before. But there is tons of everything out there. Any kind of fucking big screen TV I want.”

             
“There is plenty here and you can have them all,” I said and I got Tanya to laugh.

             
“Smash over their heads maybe,” she said.

             
“I’m watching you,” Eli said. “Any trouble and you’re out.”

             
“I ain’t gonna bother you,
cracker, stay out of my way.”
             

             
“Cracker—“

             
“Eli, it’s done.” I paused. “Robert, why don’t you hand off Tanya to Maddie.” “Let’s take 5.”  Robert nodded and then showed Tanya to the door to the store. As soon as they were gone, I went after Eli.

             
“You promised, Eli. You said it was okay that I would have two votes. I didn’t ask for it.”

             
“Rachel, we also promised no criminals. We need good people.”

             
“I think Tanya will be okay here.”

             
“She could be a psycho,” Ashley said. Now I know where the other no vote came from.

             
“I bet she isn’t,” this came from Jim. “I think she’s trying to be tough, but I think she’s probably scared. Besides we could use another shooter. Four would let us have complete coverage.”

             
“You promise to shoot her if she gets out of line,” Eli said to Princess.

             
“I want no part of this,” she said.

             
“Rachel—“ Eli started.

             
“Don’t,” I said. “We took a vote. It’s over.”

             
Eli looked very pissed off. Thankfully Robert came back early.

             
“How is our guest?” I asked.

             
Robert didn’t reply, but in
stead rolled his eyes.

             
“That good?”

             
Robert was a man of few words so he hunched his shoulders.

“You might as well call in the next person.” Four more to go. I didn’t know how I was going to make it through this morning.

             
Robert came back with a light brown skinned man about my age and my jaw nearly dropped.

             
“Dan?” I said, nearly bursting into tears.

             
“Rachel,” he said, his face was twisted, confused. He tried to get to me but Robert held him.

             
“He has to pat you down, first,” I said, getting up.  Dan complied. Robert put a bully club on the table and the knapsack only contained food. Surprised he didn’t have a gun. As soon as he was finished, he rushed over to hug me.

             
Daniel Ortiz wasn’t just my pharmacist he was my neighbor. When his wife died and so did my Carl, we joined together. “Rachel, oh my god,” he said. “I thought you were dead.”

             
“No—“ I said and I gave him a look, I didn’t want anyone here to know the truth.

             
“I thought they got you.”

             
I shook my head. Many times, hoping he would get the hint.

             
“I take it you know this man,” Eli asked.

             
“Yes, I know Dan from Commack. He was my pharmacist and neighbor. We were together in the same militia who got overrun.” Dan looked at me because he knew I was lying. I don’t know what happened to the house in Commack. I don’t know why Dan was here.

             
“So we have some bias here,” Eli said.  I knew what this was about, this was about Tanya.

             
“I won’t vote, but I could use someone who can help me dispense medication.”

             
“Why don’t we do a vote right now,” Jim said, handing two pieces of paper to Ashley and to Eli. They scribbled the responses and gave it to Jim.

             
Jim smiled. “The yays have it.”

             
I sighed in relief. 

             
Jim gave me a secret wink. “Robert,” he said, “Why don’t you show Dan inside. I think the doctor needs a breather.”

             
“Doctor,” Dan said and laughed. “You’ve moved up in the world.”

             
“You have no idea,” I said. “We’ll talk, later.”