James Hunt - Broken Roads

“What’s going on?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.”

“It was a lucky shot. That’s all.”

“That’s why you ran? Because you hit the can?”

“No.”

“Then why’d you take off like that?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fay…”

“I don’t want to talk about it!”

Fay bolted from the cot, leaving Clarence by himself. She ran through the food court and past the check-in desks by the front entrance of the airport, her feet carrying her to the other side of the airport. She ran around security ropes and jumped over fallen displays until there wasn’t anywhere left to run. She leaned her hands up against the wall, her chest heaving, trying to catch her breath.

She spun around and slammed her back against the wall and slid down. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and rested her head against her knees.

Mike dropped small amounts of oil along the tip of the barrel, then wiped it down with a rag. Nelson watched Mike’s movements. They were precise, rhythmic.

“What do we do now?” Nelson asked.

“We leave tomorrow. I can’t afford to stay here another day,” Mike said.

“But what about these people?”

“Nelson, the cabin was built for me and my family. It can hold five people at the most. Bringing you and Sean along with me is already pushing it. I can’t show up with another seven people.”

“These people helped us. They fed us. Took us in.”

“These people stayed here and hoarded as much food as they could.”

“But they said they’re leaving soon too. Why don’t we ask where they’re going? Maybe it’s better than the cabin?”

“My family isn’t wherever it is they’re going. My family is at the cabin. If you want to go with them you’re more than welcome, but tomorrow morning I’m leaving with or without you and Sean. End of discussion.”

Mike finished wiping down the rifle and slung it over his shoulder. He walked back into the food court through the side door. Jung and Jenna To were watching their two children play when he walked in. Jung saw him and made a beeline for him.

“Mike,” he said.

“I’m busy,” Mike said, grabbing one of the lanterns from the Burger King counter.

“Please, wait.”

Jung put his hand on Mike’s chest stopping him and blocking his path.

“Let my family come with you,” Jung said.

“Jung, I don’t have anywhere for your family to go.”

“The cabin, right? You’re going to the cabin?”

Nelson.

“Look, Jung, whatever it is you think I can help you with I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t,” Mike said and then moved to the side and ran past him.

Jung caught up with him as Mike headed back to the weapons depot where Clarence had shown him the rifles.

“We were heading back home to China when everything stopped working.”

“Isn’t your wife American? Doesn’t she have family here?”

“She does, but they’re in Florida. We were here on vacation.”

“You wanted to go vacation in Pittsburgh?”

“New York. We were here as part of a layover.”

The deeper they went into the airport the darker it became. Mike flicked on the lantern. The flame ignited casting an orange glow around the two of them and lighting their path.

Clarence and the rest of the group hadn’t ventured into the dark portions of the airport because of the bodies. When they came out of the TSA security room after the rioting started they searched for supplies, and the only thing they found deep within the terminals were corpses.

You could barely see them in the darkness, but the smell was overpowering. The rotting flesh baking for the past week in the unventilated, un-air conditioned depths of the airport sent a fowl stench in the air. The sour, bitter musk hit you like a brick wall.

By the time Mike and Jung reached the weapons holding both of them were gagging, covering their noes and mouth, with their shirts, but it did no good.

The inside of the weapons holding was practically barren when they checked it earlier. Most of the weapons had been picked over, but a few rifles, a stack of boxes with ammunition, and a cleaning kit still remained.

“Grab those rifles over there,” Mike said.

“Mike, please. My family can’t stay here. If there were help coming it would have been here by now. If we can’t get somewhere safe we’ll end up like those people out there.”

The lantern swung in Mike’s grip. The light danced across Jung’s face, which was filled with desperation, a look he’d seen too often over the past week.

“You pull your weight, each of you. Everyone has a job. No one gets special treatment. Understand?”

Jung nodded.

“Good. Now, grab the rifles.”

The To family, Nelson, Sean, Tom, Clarence, and Mike sat around one of the tables in the food court. The sun had gone down and they were swallowing down cans of ham and black beans. Fay was on watch.

Mike chose to tell the rest of the group about the cabin. They all jumped at the chance. Mike instructed each of them to pack enough food and supplies for a two-day walk. Everyone dumped any luggage they had and immediately started packing.

“After we leave in the morning it’ll be important for us not to stop. I want to make sure we get there as quickly and safely as possible,” Mike said.

“Will it really take two days?” Tom asked.

“Yes, and it could take more if anything slows us down,” Mike answered.

“What’s it like out there now?” Jenna asked.

“The road? Dangerous,” Mike answered.

“Do you think we’ll get mugged like you and Nelson?” Clarence asked.

“Not if we stay smart,” Mike answered.

“Guys, we’ll be fine. Mike knows what he’s doing. Trust me,” Nelson said.

Trust him. Mike looked at the faces staring at him and a pang of guilt shot through him. The last time he helped people they turned against him and separated him from his family. He wasn’t going to let a gang of bandits stand between him and his family ever again. If it came down to it he would sacrifice the lot of them to reach his family.

After dinner, it was time for Mike to relieve Fay of her watch. She was posted in the corner where she was supposed to be, vigilantly staring into the night.

“Grab some dinner,” Mike said.

“Thanks.”

Fay put her hand out and Mike helped her up. She handed him the rifle, but before she turned to go he stopped her.

“You sure you never used a rifle before?” Mike asked.

“No. That was my first time.”

“Well, it was quite a shot.”

“Thanks. And thanks for saving us.”

“I haven’t saved anyone.”

“Well, you’re doing more than most would… More than I would.”

The last words were said to herself, and Mike could see from her reaction they weren’t meant to be said aloud.

“Do you know why I took off today after I hit the can?” Fay asked.

“No.”

“It was because I saw the look on everyone’s faces. They saw that I could do something that they couldn’t. They saw that I could be someone to protect them. They thought I was someone who could keep them safe.”

“Why did that make you run?”

“Because if I didn’t keep them safe, and I knew how to do it, then I failed. So, that’s why you’ve already saved us. You’re not afraid.”

Mike sat down as Fay turned to leave. He stared out into the night. The moon was full, so he could see clearly. He thought about what Fay had said. She was wrong. He was afraid, but it wasn’t the type of fear that comes with indifference, it was the fear that comes with action. He knew what he was capable of. He remembered how easily he had pulled the trigger on the neighbors attacking his house. He could see the blood spilling onto the grass of his lawn, turning everything crimson.