ago. I think it was the long drive and leaving her grandbaby
behind. It’s brought on a case of paranoia and distrust. The
doctor thinks she’ll adjust faster this time because she isn’t really mourning a lost child.”
“Could moving her again cause it to get worse?” Haley
asks, doubtful about the outcome.
“I think just the opposite. If she sees Pierce and can see
him frequently, then it will mean he’s alive, and it might
bring her back quicker than we had thought possible since
we live so far away from Emma.”
“All right, Dad. You’re the one who has to put up with her whichever place you live in so it’s up to you.” I can
only hope it will bring my mom back to a semi-normal
existence.
“The fact that you and the cavalry showed up to take us
with you says that this isn’t just a little epidemic. It’s
serious, and the only way to keep her alive with those
infected people running around is to take her to safety.”
Dad’s body droops as he runs out of steam from dealing
with my mom.
“Dawson and Cole, why don’t the two of you go and
get all the supplies that we were planning to take back with
us, and Haley can help me load all their stuff. It looks like
they have enough here to fill the truck and most of the
trailer.” I take over being in charge because I’m anxious to
get back to Pierce now.
“Dad, why don’t you and Mom pack up your personal
stuff, then take a quick nap,” I suggest, hoping to erase the
lines on his face.
He gets up and looks at the three of us ready to move
into action. “That sounds like a good idea. I would love for
everyone to spend the night, but I think we need to get back
to your home as fast as possible.” He moves slowly, as if
it’s been six years since I’d last seen him instead of six
weeks.
“We can take turns driving, Mr. Bates. We have extra
drivers and I do this for a living, so there shouldn’t be any
problems.” Dawson speaks softly as my dad enters the
hallway.
“Oh, Emma, sweetie. Your mom has been putting
supplies out in the shed. I don’t know if you’ll need or want
any of them, but you might want to take a look. Come get
us when you’re ready to leave.” He wearily makes his way
to their bedroom.
“So I guess the first thing is to find out what kind of
stuff she has in the shed, and I’m going to bet there’s even
some stuff in the garage. We have to go through there to
the back yard since she has the back doors blocked
anyway.” I walk toward the door, but stop in the doorway
as the light floods the garage.
Boxes line the room, all neatly labeled with things like
first aid supplies, seeds, lighters, matches, and of all things, a box of diapers. Haley crowds in behind me as I move into
the room in almost a trancelike state.
“I think she might have been planning for a safe sex
orgy when the world ends.” Dawson laughs as he points to
the packing box labeled ‘condoms.’
“Right. She’s never had sex with anyone but my dad. I
don’t think the end of the world will change that for her.
But seriously, what’s was my mom thinking?” I didn’t
realize I had spoken out loud and I’m startled when Cole
answers.
“I think someone whispered in her ear that something
bad was about to happen.” Cole walks over to the garage
door and tests it to see if it will roll up.
“Any chance one of you boys can back the trailer up
into the driveway for us?” Haley holds out the keys to her
rig.
“I’ll grab Dad’s keys and move his car out of the way.”
I go back into the house for the key dish on the front table.
It’s good to see that some things haven’t changed with
Mom’s sickness.
Returning, I can’t help but voice my thoughts. “What
will the neighbors think of us moving all this stuff out?”
“I think the real question is where were they when she
moved it all in?” Cole laughs as he takes the keys from my
hand and starts toward the car blocking the driveway.
Dawson gives him a high-five as Haley and I stare after
them.
“How is Cole related again?” I ask.
“I think he’s the bastard child of Mason’s sister, Ginny.
She never married, and that was a no-no. So she left the
mountain, but when Cole got too much to handle as a pre-
teen, she sent him to Mason and Pop to straighten him out.”
Haley explains. “He’s never had the problem with me that
some of the others have had. Probably because he and
Dawson are close to the same age and were more like
brothers than cousins. When he left for the military, away
from the Jackson clan, he seemed to come home with a
broader view than those that have always lived on the
mountain.” Haley assesses the boxes as she speaks.
“Here’s what we need, a dolly to move this stuff with.”
Haley gives a wink. “Not that I mind the guys having to
take their shirts off and use their muscles, but this way,
even you and I can work. Plus, I don’t take my shirt off no
matter how hot it gets.”
“That’s no fair, Haley. You’re just trying to tease us.
Now, we boys will just wait right here while you two do
the work.” Cole leans by the opening of the trailer.
“Uh-uh, man. I’m not getting caught in that trap. Move
your butt and let’s get this loaded. I don’t really want to be out driving after dark since we saw some of the roads are
going to be completely blocked on our way back.” Dawson
slaps the back of Cole’s head as he passes by and starts
moving things to the trailer.
“Sure, whatever. Take all the fun out of the zombie
apocalypse.” Cole places a board on the ground to allow
the dolly to roll onto the truck.
“How long do you think it will take both of you to get
the rest of the supplies we need?” Haley starts carrying the
lighter boxes to Cole for him to load and pack.
“Um, about two hours. Right, Dawson?” Cole restacks
the boxes from the dolly with the heaviest on the bottom.
“Yeah, that should just about cover it. Do you want to
get started? Then whatever the girls don’t have loaded, we
can finish helping load.”
“Sounds good to me.” Cole finishes the stack in front of
him.
“Why don’t you guys circle through the alley and leave
the other trailer there. I can almost guarantee that my mom
has the shed out back just as full as this is and that way, we can get it emptied as well.” I carry two more boxes into the
trailer where Cole places them on the top of the pile.
“Come hop in the truck and I’ll drive you around,”
Dawson offers.
“Haley, will you unlock the door back there so I can get in without having to go all the way down the street?” I call
over my shoulder.
The guys make short work of unhooking the trailer and
getti
ng it set up while I open the gate and venture into the
back yard.
The trail from the gate to the shed is clearly marked
from all the recent usage.
There’s a lock on the shed door, but it’s partially
latched to look locked. My mother could never remember
where she had put the keys so we always made it look
secure. At least it would deter the quick passerby.
The shed has the normal hygiene items that might not
be available like shampoo, toothpaste, cotton balls, and
liquid dish soap.
“Whew!” Dawson whistles as he glances in the shed
door. “At least we’ll be clean if the world continues to go
to pot.”
“Actually, Mom has been couponing for a long time
and has a group that she goes shopping with, but she never
keeps her stash. She normally donates most of it.” I defend
what looks like simple craziness gone wrong.
“Not picking on her, sweetie. She’ll make sure that
Cole over here doesn’t smell, even when he’s out in the
woods hunting.” Dawson chuckles and ducks the expected
slap from Cole.
“Oh, if this all goes wrong. I know of about ten houses
that have stockpiles like this.” I offer, then realize that I’m talking like I could just go over and load their stuff up.
“We don’t kill people that aren’t shooting at us first.
Don’t worry, we won’t put your mom’s church group on a
hit list.” Cole tries to reassure me as the situation sinks into my brain.
“Really, we’re going to have to change that rule a little
bit to anything that tries to kill me. Because these zombie
things don’t have guns, but they’ll still kill us without a
thought,” Dawson argues.
“Way to make me feel better, boys,” I retort
sarcastically. “You’d better get going or we won’t make it
back before dark.”
“Seriously, though, Haley has the guns in the pickup’s
cab. Make sure that you both shoot first and ask questions
later. Okay?” Cole slings an arm around my shoulders and
kisses the top of my head, while Dawson does the same
from the other side.
“Boys, she’s not used to a Jackson sandwich. Shoo!”
Haley’s protective words make me laugh.
“They’re good. It made me think of how Brad would be
hanging out with these two goofballs.” I wave off her
concern.
“I think we’ve been dismissed.” Cole exchanges a look
with Dawson above my head. They both release me and run
to Haley for a sandwich.
“We didn’t want you to feel left out, honey,” Dawson
drawls and moves in front of Haley to kiss her properly.
“Let’s go,” Cole tosses back as he races out of the fence
and to his truck that still has a trailer.
Dawson isn’t far behind them.
I turn to Haley as their doors slam shut. “Do you know what they’re supposed to pick up?”
“Top secret. Known only to a select few of the Jackson
clan,” Haley informs me.
“Oh, well. We have enough stuff to do here without
borrowing trouble from them.” I go to follow her back into
the garage to start loading stuff up.
“We should get this loaded, then eat something before
we start on the shed out back.”
“Absolutely. I’m in total agreement with that statement,
but it’s going to take us longer without the boys to help,”
Haley agrees enthusiastically.
“It’s so funny that you still call them boys when they’re
both over thirty.”
“If the shoe fits,” she responds with a grin.
-----------
Two hours later, we have the garage empty, the shed
boxed up and loaded. Before we start on the house, Dad
comes out to find us.
“Did you two want to eat something and take a break?
You’ve been working nonstop for hours now,” he says as
he approaches the almost empty shed.
“Wow. I had no idea this thing had back walls.” He
reaches over to give me a hug. “Looks great, honey. Your
mom has omelets and bacon fried up.”
“Sounds good. I’m curious about the breakfast menu,
though,” Haley says politely.
“There’s a good reason. We needed to clean out the refrigerator just in case we’re not able to come back, and
there’s no point in wasting food,” Dad explains.
“Touché, Mr. Bates. I don’t know why I’m even asking
questions. It’s a meal that I didn’t have to cook. Lead the
way.” Haley hooks her arm through my dad’s and lets him
escort her into the house.
I’m happy to see some of the weariness leave my dad’s
face, and I can only hope it will continue to evaporate once
we get back to Jackson Mountain.
A frantic knock at the door interrupts us as we settle in
around the counter since the table has been used as a
defensive item against the sliding doors.
Dad opens the door to Dawson, with Cole right behind
him.
“Turn on the TV,” Cole demands. I hurry to comply as
we crowd around it.
“Breaking news. The military is headed for the city of
Memphis due to an overwhelming crisis that arose this
afternoon at the hospital. They haven’t given us the details
yet, but we do know that the local police are not allowing
anyone to be brought here. All emergencies are being
rerouted. They are recommending that everyone head home
listen to a question being directed at him.
“We still don’t know at this time if the military is going
to declare Martial Law, but considering the rumors we’ve
been hearing from other cities where this infection has
spread, it’s a good possibility.
“The recommendation is that everyone please approach anyone who is showing signs of sickness with caution. This
infection is transferred in the same manner that the AIDS
virus back in the ’80 s was. This virus can be transferred
through blood, bodily fluids being exchanged, or in this
case, a bite from a carrier.”
“Did he say bite?” Haley looks incredulous.
“I can’t believe they would say it on the news. They’re
admitting how it gets passed around.”
“Shh!” Mom motions all of our attention back to the
screen as a helicopter view is shown of the rapidly
approaching tanks.
“We need to leave now. Haley’s trailer is full and so is
the one out back. We only have to carry out the food from
in here and we’re set.” I put things in motion, not wanting a
repeat of the incidents that we’d had on the way here.
“Mom, can you put the food in three separate containers
so that we can eat on the road?” I pray that she’ll follow
through, but I can’t worry about it now.
The sense of urgency won’t leave my gut.
“Dawson, do you want to drive around and get the
trailer connected while we fill the back of Haley’s truck?
We should be done about the same time.”
I’m a
sking, but I don’t even realize that I’ve turned on
my commanding tone.
“That’s the reason Brad married her,” Dawson jokes.
“He likes to be bossed around.” The rest of their
conversation is lost as they do what they’re told.
“I’m a little jealous,” Haley says. “I can’t ever get them to do the slightest thing and they jump at the chance to do
what you tell them.”
“Yeah, right. They know what needs done, and if we’re
going to survive, we have to work together.” I grin and start
piling stuff in stacks for the dolly to haul out to the truck.
“Here you go, dear. I’ve put the meals in three different
bags with utensils.” Mom holds out the bags to Haley, who
looks confused.
“Mom, why don’t you go use the restroom before we
go?” I lead her down the hallway, planning to make good
use of the room when she’s done.
Everyone else has finished and is watching the replay
of the newscast when we come out.
“Ready?” Cole questions the three of us.
“Yes. I’ve turned off everything and taken out the last
bag of trash.” Dad holds up two duffle bags filled with their
important information and personal items.
“We parked your car in the garage, and the shed, along
with the back fence are both closed,” Dawson assures him.
“Why are you carrying luggage, Neil?” Mom asks,
mystified.
“He’s helping the guys get ready to leave. Why don’t
you come out and we can tell them goodbye?” Dad
suggests with an arm around her shoulders, as the two guys
take the bags from him and hurry outside.
“I’ll lock it up,” I call as I close up the second house
that means something to me in less than two days.
I stand on the porch and watch as my father tenderly helps my mom step up into the truck and get settled.
Cole approaches me. “Do you think that you can ride
with me for a while? I’m not used to driving as long as
Dawson and Haley are.” He gives me a pleading look, with
his lip stuck out.
“I’ll go tell Haley.” I start toward the truck, but he stops
me. Ducking his head sheepishly, he says, “I already told
her.”
I simply ignore him and start for his truck that is
running at the curb.
“Do you know how to get there on the back roads?” I
know that most men think they know it all, but half the
time they really should have stopped for directions.