No Normal Day (16 page)

The
trip to Joel's for water was a productive one. Joel was always
appreciative of any food supplies that they brought. They loaded the
trailer full of soda and bourbon bottles, refilled with water. The
water would have to be treated to use for cooking or drinking but
they were thankful for it, nineteen people used a lot of water. It
had only rained once more in the last month. The hot summer was
coming on fast and sometimes there was no rain for weeks, so rain
collection wasn't dependable. Joel and Jack discussed the garden. Of
course, water was certainly an issue in managing the garden. Jack
related the serious night encounter. Joel says he had had trouble,
too. He pointed to fresh dug dirt way over in the back of his
property, “Someone didn't leave here,” he said.

After
lunch, Lee, Jack, and the boys Dane and Matt left in the War Wagon
for their acquisition expedition. The wagon was loaded with the
regular tie downs, bag for the top and tarps. At a rural propane
company they found three bottles of propane. Nearby in a small
drugstore, they were thrilled to find two bottles of Lynn's
medication and a few things on the shelves, one case of water and
some small cheap toys for the kids. They siphoned several gallons of
gas from vehicles.

They
decided
that
as much as they did not want to, they should try to go into the city.
At least move in a few blocks and see if some
places
might have food. Beth had
told
him about an unlikely place or two that actually had
shelves
of gourmet and gift food items. She said, “Maybe, people won't
think that food will there.” He knows the risk is higher but
they have to keep exploring food supplies as long as anything is left
out there.

Jack
looked over his shoulder to the back seat, “If we are going
into the city, we need to all suit up.” The boys groaned. Jack
ignored them, “Get the suits out, Dane.” He pulled over
and they all put on the chemical protection suits and masks. Jack
suggested
that
they roll up the windows, they are already swatting flies and they
are not even into the city, yet. They didn't have enough full suits
for everybody in the family.
Thank
goodness Beth had bought two packs of five, off of an online auction.
And they had
several
dozen face masks, some better than others. They kept
about
six of the full suits in the War Wagon and Jack was always hoping to
scrounge some more, at a sporting goods store or surplus store.

The
beat up wagon crawled
into
the city, weaved
amid
the destruction. The flies were thicker and they just tried
to
concentrate on their goal and not look around at what was the cause
of
the
swarms. There was not a window intact in any store or business. He
caught
sight
of a figure or two slinking around, he would not want to be anywhere
near here after dark. They spotted
one
of the stores that Beth had
mentioned.
Of course, it had
been
broken into, they rolled
around
to the back of the strip of stores. Lee and Matt stayed
with
the wagon. Jack and Dane entered
the
open rear door.
Piles
of clothes and hangers and shoes were scattered, like a tornado had
passed
through, pictures and vases and decorative items smashed and broken.
They found
some
shelves that actually did
have
some kind of edible products on them. Jack first picked
up
a tall skinny bottle of olives, “Yuck, I had rather starve!”
he frowned.

“W
ait,
Poppa, I like olives.” said
Dane.

They
found a big laundry basket and tossed things in. They read the labels
close, because many items were not the familiar brands. They did find
bottles of olive oil, crackers and cookies in fancy tins, some soup
mixes and bread mixes, a can of tiny shrimp, a few boxes of pasta
type meals and tea, cocoa and gourmet coffee. The laundry basket
looked like a big Christmas care package, filled with “special”
treats. Dane stuffed several kitchen towels into a big deep pot. They
spotted some blankets, it was getting warm so fast now, those had
been ignored. As they were dragging all of this through the back, to
the car, they spotted two big jugs of water. A water dispenser that
was for the employees use sat in the corner. They set the basket and
other loot down, rolled the big jugs of water to the door. Lee and
Matt, got out and helped load all the finds into the back of the car.
It was getting full again, fuel cans, propane bottles, the basket and
various loose items. They spread one of the blankets over it all.

Matt
raised a hand and said, “ssh-ssh...listen”. All four
stood very still. It was distant but there was a definite rumbling of
engines, like big trucks.

Lee
said, “Stay with the wagon, I am going back through the store
to the front windows and see if I can spot anything.” He and
Matt, made their way through the dim daylight in the store, staying
low and avoiding the piles of broken glass at the entrance. The two
flanked each side of the opening, they scanned the clogged street and
beyond that, more retail stores clustered at the edge of parking
lots. To the south of the commercial strip, a city neighborhood
stretched over several blocks.

“
I
think the noise is coming from that neighborhood.” said
Matt.
Just at that moment, a military green truck came
out
of one side street and immediately turned
into
the next street. The truck stopped on the corner, two armed soldiers
jumped
out
and went
up
the walk to the house. Two more men
crossed
the street and were at the door of the house, they had
on
some kind of full chemical suits and masks. They were obviously,
beating on the doors, maybe saying something but it was too far away
for Lee to hear. No one was answering the door, the soldiers moved
with
stealth, around the house. In a few minutes, the soldiers came out of
the front doors of the house, they had
entered
somewhere in the back. One soldier motioned
to
another, standing by the truck. They entered
the
house and came
back
out in a short while, with a bag of something. He laid
the
bag down, turned
and
sprayed
a
big X
on
the front door with red paint. Matt looked
at
Lee, “What...?”

Lee
spoke in a whisper, “I don't know, let's keep watching”.

The
soldiers moved to the next house, a man to the door. There was an
exchange between them. The man turned and a woman and little boy
joined him. The soldier escorted them to the back of the truck. When
the soldier raised the flap, Lee could see other people already
sitting in the truck. The man climbed in and they lifted the woman
and boy up. Because of the distance, Lee couldn't hear or see the
people very clearly, they seemed to be thin and weary. From a house
across the street, soldiers were exiting, carrying body bags. Lee was
far too familiar with what a body bag looks like. Another truck
rounded the corner and the body bags were thrown into the back of it.
All of these houses were marked with the same red X.

Lee
motioned for Matt to follow and they moved to the back of the store
and the wagon. He felt like a giant white marshmallow in this suit
and very visible. Matt listened closely, as Lee explained what they
saw to Jack and Dane, because he was not so sure what it is all
about.” When Lee finished, Jack asked, “Fema camps, you
think?”

“
The
trucks looked military, they had no FEMA markings. Of course, they
would be using whatever is up and running, I suppose. Maybe took them
this long to get some vehicles functioning and begin some kind of
rescue and clean up. It's been pretty ripe around here, you know. I
am sure that disease is finishing off some of the survivors.”
Lee looked
serious,
“We didn't watch them continue down the street any farther. I
really don't know if there would be any choice given, if they came to
clear a neighborhood. And my guess is, if there's any food or
supplies, or guns they are confiscating them. They are not going to
let you stay where you are and they are not going to let your
supplies go to waste.”

“
Why
are they putting those red Xes on the doors?” said Matt.

Lee said, “
I
think that just means that the house has been cleared.”

“
Where
are they now, are they close to here?” said Jack.

“
They
are across the highway and deep into clearing the neighborhood. I
think we should head out of here, on one of your
back
streets,
pronto.”
was Lee's response.

They
loaded up and moved away in the opposite direction from where the
military. The War Wagon roared loud as an army tank to them, they
kept looking back but saw no sign of anyone following.

In
twenty minutes, they were back in the cover of the garage and home,
they stowed all the goods away. There was always a curious welcome
when the War Wagon returned from a trip. There were some
ew-w-w's
some
ooo's
and
ah-h-h's,
from the crowd, as goodies
were unloaded. The kids were totally excited to see a small fold up
table and chairs, just their size. It was placed on the patio by
their toy chest.

Next,
everyone waited to hear the story of the day's adventure.
Going
out
, never failed to be an adventure in those days. So far, the
girls had not participated in the trips, except to Joel's on
occasion. Jack let Lee and Matt tell about the trucks they saw in
town.

Dane
said, “It seems a little creepy to me.”

“
Well,
some folks really need help. That is, if it's not already too late.”
said
Lynn.
She and Lee exchanged
a
smile.
There
were some expressions of agreement. Some just look concerned, Beth,
was one of them.

“
It
is true, it is god awful out there and the survivors do need help.
But, think about it. If they come to this neighborhood to
rescue,
do
you want to move to a government camp? Do you think that will be a
better place to be?” said
Jack.

There
was a unanimous...
No-o!

A
loud out-of-order conversation erupted, “We are fine right
here....I don't want to go to some old camp...why would we leave...do
we have to Gram?”....daddy, do you think we will leave?”
and more.

Beth
stood up, “Listen, be quiet. What if the military, our soldiers
come here. What if they insist that we go to a camp? What if they say
they have to take all of our food and supplies?”

Then
everyone was very silent. The boys were looking at their parents,
with questions in their eyes. Cody looked at Lee. Finally, Dane said,
“Well, I am not going anywhere.” Cody reached up and high
fived him. The group relaxed a little and some nervous laughs
escaped. Lee and Jason and Jack exchanged worried looks. Jason knew,
they could not fight an army.

Jack
said, “I guess we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
For now, we are going to need to be a little more vigilant. One good
thing, those big trucks can be heard from a long ways off. We will
have a warning that they are in the neighborhood. After the incidents
of the last week, I have been thinking that we do not need to be
advertising that we are here or that we have food. From now on, as
much as we can, let's get our cooking done early in the day and not
be sending out tempting aromas, all day long. Maybe we can even cook
enough for two day's meals.