I found Ted and Alice sitting on their patio drinking a bottle of warm wine. Some type of white that I’m sure would have been much better chilled. They were making the best of things. I smiled as I approached. They smiled back.
“Hey neighbor. A glass of Chardonnay?” Alice was the best hostess I knew.
“Sure, why not. I’m getting sick of warm beer over at my place.” Alice went inside and got another wine goblet. She poured me a tall one.
“It’s warm, but it’s still good.” Alice handed over the wine and gave me a small hug. I guess she figured I could use one. She was right. “How you holding up alone?” I could see the pain on her face. Pain for my missing family.
“Doing okay. Wish Sharon and the kids weren’t in Milwaukee, but I suppose they’re as safe there as any place.” I looked at Ted, he was nodding. “Ted, how far you think this thing reaches? Us? Midwest?”
Ted frowned. “If I had to guess Bill, I’d say the country got slammed. I haven’t seen a plane go over since D-Day, have you?” No, I hadn’t. “I think we are all in this mess together. Every last one of the 330 million citizens of this country.” He looked up at me not too serious. “Take solace in that, my friend. We are all in this together.” His words helped, but only slightly. I needed to get to my needs next.
“Say Ted…” He looked up at me. “How much cash you got laying around? How much can you spare? I’m down to about $20 and I’m thinking of taking off for Milwaukee sometime soon.” He was still smiling, that was a good sign. “I just don’t want to make the trip with no money.”
He looked over at Alice. “Well, we got a couple thousand in cash in the house, hidden in various spots. We always do.” I knew I could count on his cunning. “I suppose we could give you $500, maybe $600. Not sure we’ll need all that cash in the days to come.” He looked up at me again. “Will that help?”
I breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Yeah, tremendously. You’re a lifesaver. I’ll give you a check for that amount, plus interest.” He shook his head still smiling.
“You can give us a check, but we don’t want interest, Bill. You’ve been a great neighbor, a real friend.” He laughed slightly. “Not sure we’ll be able to cash that check anytime soon, but you never know I suppose. Could take months to get this all straightened out.”
That was a sobering comment. I hadn’t thought of any timeframe thus far. I knew we had trouble, but for how long, well that was anyone’s guess. But if anyone would have a handle on the situation it would be Ted. He was keen to all the interworking of the economy. “You think it will take months?”
Ted shrugged. “I really don’t know for sure. But, I think it will. Maybe even a year or so. We’re kind of in uncharted territory here, my friend.” Alice reappeared from the house as we spoke and drank the warm wine. She handed me a stack of twenty-dollar bills.
“Here’s $700, Bill. Just in case.” I sighed and took the cash from her. Suddenly I was twelve again asking my parents for an advance on my allowance.
“You people, you’ve always been so good to us. Me, and Sharon, and the kids. We couldn’t have picked better neighbors.” I gave Alice a hug and patted Ted on the shoulder.
He grabbed my hand as I went to leave. “Whatever you do, be careful. I think the descent into lawlessness will be quick out there, away from the city. No law enforcement, at least not enough to make a difference. So just be real careful.” I nodded at them. “Taking your bike?”
“Yeah. Bike with some supplies on back in that old kid carrier. Four days I think should get me there. I suppose if I really pushed it I could get there in three. I figure if I split it up it wouldn’t be so bad that way.”
I could see the concern in their faces.
“Think you’ll find them there?” Alice asked a good question.
I shook my head and looked off into Ted’s backyard. “Not sure really. I mean they should be there, right? But who knows.” I looked back at their caring faces. “We’ll just have to see what time brings me.” I looked closer at Ted. “How about you? Got enough insulin to hold you for a while?”
Ted smiled yet again. “I’m fine for now. I might peddle over to the drug store in the next day or two and see if they’re opened. As of yesterday they weren’t. So we can only hope. Otherwise, I’ll just have to monitor it as best I can until the supplies run out.” He patted Alice’s hand; she had a tear in the corner of her right eye. “After that, who knows? Who knows…”
I took my leave and made further preparations. I had an extensive list to be sure I had everything necessary for my trip. With a weapon and a stack of cash, I was pretty close to being ready. Timing would be the most significant factor for my departure. I wanted to beat trouble out of the city. I wanted to stay ahead of any and all rough elements. I wasn’t sure how I would know the right time to leave. Nature would most likely be letting me know.
Two nights later as I lay in bed sleeping soundly, I awoke to noises. I wasn’t sure of the exact noise, but I heard yelling as I lay quietly. It sounded like it was in the next neighborhood to the west. Maybe two or three blocks from my spot. There was a flurry of yelling and screaming. Then suddenly, it was quiet.
I rolled over and petted Buddy on his head. The sound had woken him up too. As I settled back into my pillow, the first sounds of real trouble shattered the silence. One gunshot, then another. Then, several more. I jumped out of bed and looked out the back bedroom window. As suddenly as it had started, it was over. Then came the cries for help and wailing from injured people. Trouble was at hand. It was time to leave.
In the morning, Ted had news for the few people left in our immediate area. He had snuck over to the war zone, as he called it, at first light and got a first-hand account from the people of that area. A group of three misfits had tried to break into a home where people were still living. The property owner took exception to their antics and warned them off with loud, angry shouts. When they wouldn’t leave, he fired a weapon at them. He missed, but one of the vagrants had hit him with their return volley. While the man survived, and the hoodlums left, the conflict came to blood. The news was unnerving.
I got everything ready with great haste. It was day 18 without power and time to leave. I went around the neighborhood and said my goodbyes. First, Charles and Charlotte Johnson, then Ted and Alice next door. We exchanged handshakes and hugs, and I received prayers for a safe journey. I wished them all well with whatever they decided to do in the near future. For these four older people, it meant staying put.
Alexis had seen me preparing and came over as I was checking my equipment over one last time. She had been crying again, her eyes were red and swollen. I was going to go say goodbye to Jim and her last, but hadn’t made it that far yet. She beat me to the punch.
“You’re not really leaving, are you?” As Alexis looked at me, I instantly felt guilty for some unknown reason.
“Yeah, it’s time. We know what happened two blocks away last night. It’s not going to be safe here much longer Alexis. You and Jim need to consider heading south. Maybe 30 miles or so. Find a farm with a family that will take you in. It’s the best way right now. The best way to survive.”
She shook her head at my words. “I can’t believe you are abandoning us, Bill. What am I supposed to do?” Her large brown eyes stared at my empty expression. What could I say?
“I have to do what’s best for me, Alexis. And my family. That’s why I think you need to get out of here too, okay?”
She looked back at her house. “Jim will be dead within a week. He’ll kill himself. I know it, you know it. He hasn’t slept hardly at all since this started. He just walks around mumbling to himself playing with the trigger on his gun.” She looked deeper into my eyes, and moved closer to my body. “You’re only kidding yourself if you think he’ll protect me. He hasn’t spoken to me in a week. I don’t even think he knows who I am anymore.” She moved against me with her body, strangely. It dawned on me quickly she was in survival mode. “Take me with you. Please? We
could go somewhere else, alone, and start a new life together. You’ll never find Sharon and the kids, you know that. I could be good for you. A new, better wife for you, Bill.” My mind raced as she leaned in even closer. I put my hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting any closer. She looked mad.
“No, Alexis. No.” More tears. “It can’t be like that. Jim needs you. Maybe you don’t think so now, but he will, soon. And, I’m sure Sharon and I will find each other. There’s always hope.” I tried to smile at Alexis, but she looked down. I was foiling her plan for escape. “And, how would we ever explain that to my wife?”
Truthfully, I was half tempted. I’d never see Sharon again most likely, and Alexis was a fine young woman. It just went against every fiber of my moral being. It just wasn’t right, even in this situation.
She looked up at me sideways. “I’m going to die here. I’m going to die here, alone. And it will be your fault. Because you are so worried about how it would look. I’ll try and remember that concern when I’m being raped and bludgeoned to death because my husband killed himself, and the only decent neighbor I had couldn’t find it in his soul to save me.” She began to walk away. “That’s fine, Bill. I hope you die out there on the road. You’ve given me a death sentence.”
I wanted to call out to Alexis one last time, but it wouldn’t have made a difference. What I had done was right, proper. One man doesn’t take another man’s wife. Even in these times. Even if the offer was tempting. As for her words – I knew she didn’t mean them. At least I hoped so.
I thought about it for a moment more. Alexis was at least ten years younger than me, probably more. She was in great shape and usually had a sweet personality. She could be a good wife for anyone. I thought about calling for her. I thought hard. I almost did call for her. But I just couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to her, or to Jim. I couldn’t do that to Sharon or the kids.
I watched Alexis go back into her house. Buddy suddenly appeared by my side snapping me back into the moment. It was time to leave. I checked my supplies over one last time against my list. As far as I could tell, I had everything I needed. I stared at my house wondering if I was ever coming back. Could this be it for the place I had lived for the past ten plus years? The only place my children had even known as home? Would I ever be back? Sadness ran through me with a chill. This was harder than I thought it would be. I jumped on my bike and called to Buddy to follow. I didn’t bother to close the garage door as I left.
Chapter 11