End Days Super Boxset (174 page)

“Thanks for waiting here, son,” he said with a stern expression. “Your brother come back yet?”

Tobias looked around. “No, I haven't seen him. He said he was going to walk home once he found Gabrielle. Look, Dad, what's going on? Is this, like, an EMP thing?”

“How do you know about EMPs?” Terrance asked.

“I've heard of them. And I've heard you talk to Mom about them.”

Terrance placed his hand back on Tobias's shoulder.

“We're pretty much on the same page here. I don't know it for sure, but it sure seems like an EMP. Your mom and sister are waiting in the van.”

“You got that old van running? What about all the cars? I thought nothing worked,” Tobias said.

“Most cars don't. That's why we have to get out of here. If enough people realize we have a working vehicle, they'll take it from us in an instant.”

Tobias nodded in understanding. Terrance rubbed his own forehead in frustration. “I should have just told you and your brother to walk home. I shouldn't have brought the van here.”

Tobias remained uncomfortably silent. He didn't know how to respond. To Tobias, it sounded as if Terrance had implied blame. “It's not your fault,” Terrance added, as if reading Tobias's mind. “Let's get the van and get home.”

“Then what?” Tobias asked.

“I'll explain when we get there,” Terrance said. He turned and started to walk toward the school.

“We're just going to walk out the front gate?” Tobias asked, not moving.

“Why not?” Terrance said. “Everyone else is.”

***

Christina and Paula remained in the van watching as herds of high school students walked by like an unorganized parade. The heat index was rising, and the van was stuffy, even with the windows down.

“How much longer are they gonna be?” Paula asked in an exhausted tone.

“Not much longer, I hope. I'm sure he found your brothers by now.”

Suddenly the driver's-side door swung open, startling Christina. She placed her hand over the glove compartment, ready to draw her .38. Terrance stuck his head in the van, and she withdrew her hand, her face relaxing.

“You're back! Thank God. We're sweltering in this thing.”

The side door opened to reveal Tobias. He climbed into the van, shut the door, and sat next to Paula. Terrance sat and fastened his seatbelt as Christina turned her head around. “That's my boy,” she said. “Where's your brother?”

Terrance answered before Tobias could. “He should be at the house by now.”

“Why didn't he wait? You should have told him to wait,” she said to Tobias. “I don't like us being split up like this.”

“It's not his fault,” Terrance answered. “Richie went off to find his girlfriend. Can't really blame him either. It got pretty unruly in there.”

“Well, I'm just glad the both of you got back here. Richie better be at the house by the time we get there if he knows what's good for him,” Christina said.

“Shhhh,” Terrance said as he raised his hand and let it hover over the ignition switch. Christina gave him an offended look, which he waved off. “I need to concentrate now. We're going to turn heads the second I start the engine. We have to be ready. I don't want to hit anyone, but they might not get out of the way.”

“They'll move if you honk,” Christina said. “Plenty of them probably have no idea what is going on.”

Terrance raised a hand up, indicating silence. “Let's stay calm. This is going to be tricky.”

He turned the key, and the van roared back to life, gaining the attention of those walking by.

“It's now or never,” Terrance said. He put the van into drive and idled forward from the shoulder of the road back onto the pavement. There was a gap large enough to let him maneuver onto the road and do a three-point turn in the opposite direction. As he slowly backed up, a rapping noise came from the side of the van, startling everyone inside.

“Did I hit something?” Terrance asked, braking in panic.

Christina looked in her side-view mirror and saw several teenagers.

“It's just some kids. Floor it!” Christina said.

Paula moaned with fear as the banging continued. Tobias was silent. “Everything is going to be OK, kids. No one is getting in,” Christina said. She took another look in the side mirror and was filled with dread at seeing one boy grab a large rock with both hands from the side of the road. Terrance shifted from reverse to drive, and the van started to buck.

“Let us get a ride, man!” one of the kids shouted. The one with the rock was nearing Christina's window with his arm coiled and ready to launch it into the glass.

Just as the kid launched the rock, Terrance sped off, leaving the group of would-be vandals in the dust. The van moved down the road going at thirty miles per hour. Most people moved instinctively out of the way. Terrance swerved the van to dodge the stranded vehicles in their path. Everyone in the van was silent. Terrance remained in deep concentration at the wheel. He quickly turned down some deserted side roads and continued cautiously as they drew within a few miles of their neighborhood.

Their neighborhood looked the same as always. People convened outside on their front porches, hanging out. Others were buried deep in the engines of their cars, trying to get them to start. The Robinsons’ van slowly moved down the street, largely unnoticed. It was an old street with old houses, and during the time Terrance and Christina had lived there, they had seen it decline from a once-promising neighborhood to one of increasing crime. It was a place Terrance considered unsafe for his family in the aftermath of the EMP strike. But abandoning the house raised other problems as well. If they did leave their three-bedroom home for a cabin in Milledgeville, what would be left of it once they returned? What of all their possessions? Terrance pulled the van to the side of the house and then stopped.

“Tobias, get out and open the gate,” he called back.

Tobias nodded and exited the van. The backyard of their house was enclosed by a tall wooden fence. Tobias hurried to the doors, pulled the bolt on the gate, and pushed them open. The van pulled into the backyard. So far, there were no signs of Richie anywhere. Terrance parked in the canopy shed, and the family collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

“You think anyone noticed us pull in?” Christina asked.

“I'm sure they did,” Terrance said, unfastening his seat belt. “But lots of people are distracted and confused, but not for long. We need to make a decision. The longer we stay here, the worse things are going to get.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Paula interjected.

Terrance and Christina looked at each other. “Let's all go inside,” Terrance said. “We'll get everything worked out soon enough.”

Once inside, Terrance plopped down on the couch in the living room, exhausted. Christina sat next to him as Tobias and Paula both sat in the two recliners opposite the couch. Christina had opened up all the windows in the house, and a gentle breeze flowed through the room. The house was strange without power. It felt as though they were sitting in replica of their former house. They had searched for Richie, but he wasn't there.

“He better get home soon,” Christina said angrily.

“We can't wait any longer,” Terrance said, placing a hand on Christina's knee. “We gotta let Tobias and Paula know what's going on.”

“I told Dad that I think it's an EMP,” Tobias said, rocking back-and-forth in the velvet recliner.

“What's an EMP?” Paula asked.

“It's a bomb that takes out all the electricity. It affects cars, phones, everything we use,” Tobias answered.

“How does it do that?”

“Hold on just a minute, kids,” Terrance said. “Your mother and I want to talk to both of you about some things. Let's not get off track here.”

Tobias and Paula went quiet, waiting for Terrance to continue.

“I'm certain that this power outage will only be temporary, but nonetheless, we could be weeks without power. If the same thing has happened throughout the country, it could be months.” Paula’s eyes widened. “You see, Paula, Tobias is right. What most likely caused this is a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse nuclear missile. Once it explodes in the atmosphere, the weapon sends pulses through the air that fry circuitry and overload the voltage of every piece of electronics in its path.”

“Like my cell phone.”

“Yes. An EMP can take out the entire power grid of a metropolitan area. It can also disable cars and everything else Tobias mentioned.”

“Who did it then?” Paula asked. “Who shot the missile at us?”

Terrance paused while rubbing his hands together. “We don't know that yet, Paula. We just don't know. There's no news available. We have no idea of the scope of this thing. But we do know that some things, like the van, still work, while most things don't. Your mom and I have agreed to spend the next week or two in Milledgeville, just in case things get too crazy here.”

Tobias and Paula looked at each other with apprehension.

“What are you talking about?” Tobias asked. “What kind of crazy stuff?”

“We're talking about crime, looting, and full-scale riots,” Christina answered. “You kids need to wake up. The whole reason we got that house in Milledgeville was for it to be our safe house. Now the time has come that we gotta use it.”

Silence filled the air as both kids appeared less than enthused about the prospect of leaving. “What your mom is trying to say is that we have to look out for each other. We have to do what's best for us. This power thing ain't gonna last forever, but it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Until the power comes back on, it'll get more dangerous by the day.”

“But what about school?” Tobias asked. “How are we just gonna miss a week of school like that? What about your jobs?”

Terrance held his hand up in defense. “I know. We've given this much thought, and like I said, it's only temporary. Our plan is to leave tonight. That means I want you guys to pack everything you need, but pack light. We got about a three-hour drive to Milledgeville, and you need to be ready when the time comes.”

“But I don't want to that house,” Paula protested.

“Enough,” Terrance said. “We're going to Milledgeville, and that's that. I want you both to start packing and help me and your mom load the van with supplies.”

Tobias and Paula were not happy. They stared at the ground in cold response. Tobias raised his head to make his last plea. “Don't we have a choice? I can take care of myself. I'm fifteen for crying out loud. You guys go, and I'll watch the house while you're gone.”

“No deal,” Terrance said. “We're all going together, and that's final.”

“What about school?” Paula asked.

“None of us want this, trust me,” Christina interrupted. “If it was up to us, you kids would be back in school this instant. We don't have a choice. We need to follow your father's instincts with this. If he thinks this house is too dangerous to stay in then we have to believe him.”

“But, Mom!” Tobias said.

“But nothing. Start packing,” Christina said.

Suddenly they heard the front door open and close, followed by two sets of footsteps. Terrance jumped up from the couch, ready to confront whoever it was. Before Christina could even speak, he was headed to the foyer. “That you, Richie?” he called.

“Yeah, it's me,” Richie said while entering the living room. He was slightly taller than his brother. He wore a white shirt with a long basketball jersey over it, gym shorts, and sneakers. He was holding hands with a slim, attractive girl with a dark complexion, short bangs, and hair that was cut perfectly just below her ear. She wore jeans and a white top.

“You guys remember Gabrielle, right?” Richie said.

“Hi, Gabrielle,” Christina said from the couch.

Terrance gave Richie and his girlfriend an amicable smile. “Welcome, have a seat. I'm sure you guys need to rest after walking all the way from school.”

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Robinson,” Gabrielle said. “It's crazy out there. I mean, have you guys seen it?”

“Yes, we're aware of it. Now please, sit,” Terrance said, motioning Gabrielle to the couch near Christine. “I need to have a word with Richie real quick in the kitchen.” Once Gabrielle sat, Terrance led Richie out of the room. The boy had a look of bewildered confusion.

***

Once they got into the dark kitchen, Terrance backed Richie into a corner near the refrigerator, startling him. “When I tell you to stay some place and wait, I mean it. You know the worry you caused your mother?” Terrance's angry face was inches from Richie's. Richie could feel his father's hot breath.

“Y'all said to walk home, so that's what I did.”

Terrance pushed against Richie's shoulder with one hand and pointed in his face with the other. “That's bullshit. You disappeared and left Tobias to fend for himself.”

“But I had to get Gabby.”

“That could have waited!” Terrance said between gritted teeth. “Do you have any idea what's going on? Do you know how serious this is? This country could be at war very soon, and we've got to look out for each other from now on.”

“War?” Tobias said “With who?”

“You need to get packing. We're leaving,” Terrance said.

“What are you talking about?”

“Only for a week or so. We're going to the bug-out house in Milledgeville.”

Richie laughed in disbelief. “Are you serious? That old house? What are you gonna do out there?”

“You're coming, and so are Tobias and Paula.”

“I got school, plus a million other things going on.”

Terrance got closer in Richie's face. Entirely too close for comfort.

“Did you see your school today? That's exactly what this entire city is going to look like within the next day or two. The city ain't safe, and this damn neighborhood sure ain't safe. Our only hope is to take the van to Milledgeville. We're leaving late tonight when fewer people will be on the road.”

“I can take care of myself. I'll be fine.”

Terrance narrowed his eyes. “Tobias tried to say same thing, and I'll tell you what I told him...get packing.”

Richie's tone turned to a plea. “I'm not going anywhere without Gabby. She needs me.”

“You shouldn't have brought her here in the first place. Her parents are probably worried sick about her.”

Richie laughed. “Yeah, sure. Her mom ain't sober but three hours out of the day.”

“We need to get her home, and that's that,” Terrance said.

Richie felt defiant. He had listened to his prepper know-how for years, but this was too much.

“If I'm going, she's going, that's all there is to it,” Richie said, staring boldly into Terrance's face. Terrance studied Richie to see if he was bluffing.

“Very well. We'll ask your mom first,” Terrance said, looking away.

“But—” Richie began.

“I said we'll ask your mom, and that's final,” Terrance seethed. He walked away from Richie back to the living room as his son meekly followed.