Linda Andrews - The Meltdown

“We’ll be back in ten.” He jerked his head. “There’s three more M-4s and two bags of ammo. Cover your mouth when you go in. It’s contaminated.”

“Will do.” Polo Shirt stepped back.

“Red,” Papa Rose shouted to the kid. “Can you drive?” He eased behind the wheel and laid his rifle across the seat. His ear throbbed and his shoulder burned. Maybe he wouldn’t have felt it at twenty. Maybe pigs flew.

“Yes, sir.” Red grinned.

“Get in.” After the kid climbed in the back, Papa Rose shifted into gear and pressed the gas. Red warning lights flared on the dash. Fuck that noise. He didn’t have far to go.

Peering through the steam, he rounded the corner. The bat-shaped admin building wavered up ahead. The munchkins had to be fine. Had they heard the firing? Were they scared?

The engine sputtered, then shuddered. He gunned it. The momentum slammed him against the seat.

Falcon swore.

Serves Mr. Flesh Wound right. Papa cranked hard on the wheel and pulled off the side of the road in the lot across from the building. The tanker would need the room to turn. He turned off the engine. Leaving the keys in the ignition, he grabbed the rifle then backed out of the vehicle.

Falcon crawled over the side of the bed and slid to the ground.

Red gawked at the buildings, his head swiveling on his neck so much, he might unscrew it.

Papa Rose caught Falcon. “No resting.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell us getting old would hurt so much?” Falcon leaned on him for a moment, then nodded.

They limped across the street. “Cuz they were afraid we wouldn’t join the old codger’s club if we knew.”

“Codger.” Falcon shivered. His normally black skin was pale and sweaty. “Does anyone use that word anymore?”

“Sure, they do. It’s the hip new word.” Papa Rose tugged the keys to the Toyota out of his pocket and tossed them to Red. “Blue Prius. It’s parked around the corner.”

Red caught the keys then took off.

Without another word, Papa Rose helped Falcon cover the distance to Jillie, Olivia and Toby’s bedroom.

The former Green Beret rested against the jamb while Papa Rose opened the door. The hinges squeaked. A blue screen shone from the computer monitor.

Jillie sat straight up, a two-by-four clutched in her hand like a bat. “What!”

“It’s me, Papa Rose.” He crossed the room. The three munchkins lay on the blue jean insulation bed. Jillie and Olivia on the outside, Toby curled up in the center, hugging his teddy bear. Safe. Sound. In one piece. He blinked away the tears. Thank God.

Toby rolled over and blinked. “Papa?”

“Yes.” He cupped Jillie’s cheek, combed his fingers through Toby’s silky hair and then tucked a dreadlock behind Olivia’s ear. “It’s time to go join the soldiers. You’ll like Colorado.”

Five minutes. Audra twisted the fabric into a rope. Water poured out, gathered in the rusted metal sink then swirled down the drain. It had been more like five hours. Her stomach growled. Breakfast was just a memory and lunchtime had already come and gone without food.

“Why are we doing their dirty, stinking laundry?” Tossing her black ponytail over her shoulder, Tina threw a sheet over the line strung across the kitchen. Red hands smoothed the fabric over the cord.

“Because it smells and we are locked inside with no way out.” And no one wanted to practice self-defense on the air. They wanted flesh and blood targets. Audra squeezed the rest of the sheet dry. Water soaked through her shirt molding it to her body as she trundled toward an open spot on the line.

“Not good enough.” Amy blotted her forehead with her sleeve. “We could stand next to the open window and breathe fresh air.”

Audra slung one end over her shoulder, unfurled the other and draped it over the line. “Because maybe if we take care of their sick, they’ll feed us.”

“And not rape us.” Becky poured boiling water into the galvanized tub they’d found under the sink. White suds foamed up the sides.

“Definitely that.” Audra finished hanging the sheet. An ache spread across her shoulders. She’d give all her inheritance just for the luxury of a Maytag washing machine. “How many more do we have?”

With a groan, Becky bent over and pinched fabric between her fingers. The sheet unrolled, revealing the dark stains on the blue and green stripes. “Last one.”

“Thank God!” Setting her hands along her spine, Tina arched her back. “I hated laundry day at Tucson Unified.”

Audra nodded. That school had united the three of them, kept them alive during the worst of the Redaction, taught them to do laundry the evil way—by hand and a bucket. “At least there we only had laundry duty once a month.”

Becky stirred the sheet with a metal spatula. “And the men helped. I see no reason why women should have to do all the crap work. Everyone dirties the clothes, everyone should have to clean them.”

“I don’t think we’re going to get the same consideration here.” Audra returned to the sink. Holding her shirt’s hem away from her body, she wrung the knit cloth. Water dropped into the sink.

“That’s because Eddie isn’t around to bully the men into pulling their weight.” Tina jumped on the chipped linoleum counter and sat. Her sneakers banged against the warped doors of the bottom cabinet.

“Eddie bullied people?” Audra shook her shirt while staring at the black bars caging them inside. A cold breeze slipped under the sash they’d managed to pry open a couple of inches. Goosebumps chased across her skin. She wiped the fogged glass with her sleeve. Outside, snow swirled in big fat flakes.

“He wanted to impress you.” Becky slapped the soaking fabric.

Audra turned away from the window. Eddie wanted to impress her? He never seemed to care what anyone thought. “Why?”

Tina laughed and pulled the rubber band from her hair. “Because he’s gotta crush on you.”

Becky dropped the spatula with a clatter. “Big time. He follows you around like a lost puppy.”

Eddie liked her? The thought spun inside her head but couldn’t find traction. “That’s ridiculous.”

Her suitors brought flowers and chocolates. They opened doors for her and took her to nice restaurants. They were courteous to her and respectful of her mother. Eddie didn’t do any of those things. Good heavens, he’d even told her mother to mind her own business.

“Oh, he knows you outclass him by a mile.” Tina flapped her hand in the air. “Why do you think he calls you Princess?”

Heat rolled up Audra’s cheeks. She hoped they blamed the color on the heat, not embarrassment. The name calling had nothing to do with their different classes. “To annoy me.”

“Like little boys on the playground.” Becky scrubbed the stained cloth. “I even saw him pull your hair once.”

Audra relaxed. They were teasing her. Eddie couldn’t have a crush on her. She would have known.

“Eddie’s not a child.” He was a grown man. A little skinny, but he’d skipped a few meals. She sucked on her bottom lip. Oh Lord, he’d given her part of his rations, claiming he wasn’t hungry.

“You just figured it out.” Tina clapped her hands and rocked on the counter. “You really didn’t know he’d fallen for you?”

“I thought…” What had she thought? Audra planted her fists on hips. “I thought he was just being nice.”

He’d been so gentle with his brother when he’d been sick. He’d nursed the sick children and taken them into the classrooms when they’d recovered so they could play Hide and Seek, Red Light-Green Light, and Mother May I.

“Eddie wasn’t nice before…” Becky scrubbed another spot. Suds oozed down the sides of the tub.