Pilliars in the Fall (24 page)

“I’m saying life is about to change again and get even worse for everyone... and I don’t want to see you guys struggle. Everyone needs to take stock of what they have and if someone has a better chance somewhere else, it might be time to pursue that.”

I was trying to sound as amiable as possible and let them make up their own minds about their future without sounding like I knew it all.

“Is now really the time for this?” Nick asked.

I resisted the urge to blatantly look at his broken in front door. I understood his reluctance to the idea of packing his family up and leaving their home. I also understood his defensiveness at finding me in his living room in the middle of the night, uninvited, even seeing as how we were old and trusted friends. This might not have been the
best
time, but we were also running out of time.

“I know it's late and I’m hitting you with some pretty heavy stuff right now, but yes, this really is the only time for this. I don’t know how much longer anyone has inside the city. Anyone that hasn’t already gotten out or is ready to go now...”

“What do you mean? You’re saying we should leave here? This is our home,” Nick reasoned...unreasonably.

“I’m just saying some really bad shit is happening in the cities and I wanted to make sure you guys were ready for it.”

“But this is our home,” Nick repeated again.

“Are we not safe here?” Breanne interrupted him and took a step forward, having all but forgotten the small Glock in her hand. Her arms hung limply at her sides and I looked for any signs of nervous or fearful body language. She had none.

“You tell me?” I finally waved at the broken door. “Safe is a relative term. Right now, you might be okay but what about when your heater dies or the food runs out? This is no place to be alone and unprotected.”

“We’re not idiots,” Nick argued defensively. “We’ve got some canned food and stuff in the cupboards. And Jake, Drew, Julie and Cary are all just up the street, we can help each other.”

“Exactly. That’s exactly my point. You can all help each other, but not when you’re all spread out and not in a place that won't allow you to really keep things together.”

“Well...” Nick stalled. It was clear I was starting to get through to him.

“Why are they up the street and not here?” I pressed onward. “Why haven’t you guys pooled yourselves and your resources? Look, I don’t know how much you’ve seen and heard, but things are not very pretty not very far from here. You’ve got your safe little out of the way neighborhood and that’s a nice untouched target for guys like the ones I just ran off from coming in your front door. They were young and dumb, the next ones might not be. Or worse, they might be even more desperate.”

Now
I was getting through to them. Also judging by the looks on their faces I was scaring them too.

“Sorry, it’s been a long couple days,” I yawned and backed myself down a hair.

Breanne’s eyes stayed fixed on me for a long time. Finally she looked down at the gun in her hand and then turned stiffly to look at Nick who himself looked completely unsure of what to think, say or do.

I couldn’t blame him.

“Well it can’t be like this forever... or all over. Is there someplace safer we could go?” she asked, seeing that we were going to get no answer from him.

“There just might be. It's not going to be easy no matter where you are, but I think there might be a place where your family can increase your chances of having a somewhat normal life. Or at least a better quality of life, for the foreseeable future anyway.” I paused again then finished my thought.

“I came out here to see if you guys were ready to go home.”

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